I'd read so much about Seche Vite and Poshé because in the nailpolish blogging world, it seems these two vie for top place.

Seche Vite, unfortunately, comes with a nasty warning about being linked to birth defects, so Poshé is seen as an alternative that gives all the benefits of SV, but no risk of three headed babies.

So, having now used Poshé a couple of times, here's my list of Pros and Cons.

Poshé Pros

• Formaldehyde, Toluene and Pthalate free
  
• Not tested on animals
  
• Dries in 1 minute, according to the bottle. I've read to give it a good 10-15 mins because it's not as fast drying as SV. I haven't tested this, but I allow 15 mins anyway.
  
• Super shiny
  

Poshé Cons

• Shrinkage
  
• Tip wear
  
• Shine doesn't last very long
  

I'll talk a bit about the Cons I experienced with Poshé, and show you some photos.

Shrinkage

Like with SV, you need to be absolutely vigilant with wrapping the tips to make sure that Poshé doesn't shrink and pull back from the tips when it dries.

I inadvertently forgot to wrap my left thumb tip, so I have an example of what the Poshé shrinkage looks like.

Can you see that crack down the right side of the nail and across the tip? That's where I missed painting Poshé right to the edge of my nail on the sides, and forgot to wrap the tip.

It's pulled back and cracked about a millimetre from the tip and side.

You have to make sure you drag the long side of the brush along the edge of the tip, so the polish goes along the edge and under the nail. You can see pictures in my SV post.

Tip Wear

Even though I wrapped the tips of all my other nails, by the following morning, my nails were beginning to show tip wear.

Given that I'd only really slept and had a shower, I didn't think there was much wear and tear being inflicted on my nails.

And on my right hand.

This tip wear happened the first time I wore it too, with another polish.

That said, it's very minimal tip wear and probably wouldn't even be noticeable with less strong colours.

Shine

Poshé gives that super glossy, wet looking, hard case finish that SV does, and that I love so much.

It just looks so professional.

Poshé shine doesn't last as long as SV, though. By the next day, it's started to dull a little. It's still very shiny, so this is probably only noticeable to someone like me who is kind of obsessed by the wet look.

Like with other top coats I've used, you can revive the shine by adding a new coat.

***

Overall, I think Poshé is worth giving a go if you're put off by SVs ingredients, and want a super fast drying top coat so you can do your nails and go to bed.

I'll probably keep Poshé for use with lighter colours, and SV for bolder shades.

I'm also really aware that our body chemistries vary so much from person to person, so even with products like nail polish, what works well for one person might be a disaster for another, and vice versa.

I know many people can't get SV to work for them, no matter what tricks they try, but it's perfect for me. Poshé may not work so well for me, but be someone else's HG.

I'm planning another reader giveaway, and will include a bottle of SV and Poshe, so if you've ever been curious about these two brands, stay tuned and make sure you enter

xx Kiki

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I knew I had to drag myself out into the gorgeous sunny day and force my brain to flick the switch.

So these are a few of the small pleasures I made a point to notice today.

The smell of fresh, sun dried laundry

Of all the delightful sensory experiences, the sight of a clothes line of white linen, and that fresh smell that only comes from being dried in the sun and breeze, is among my favourites.

Parcels in the mail

Opening the letterbox to find a nice fat package that's made its way from across the sea is always a lovely surprise.

Even when you're totally expecting it and it's not actually a surprise at all.

The smell of freshly cut grass

Exercise is always the first thing that goes when I'm feeling down, so I knew I needed to put on my runners and go for a brisk walk to get my blood moving and pump out a few endorphins.

I deliberately don't listen to music when I'm walking for my mood so I'm not cocooned in my own little bubble, but out in the world and tuned into all the sights, sounds and smells around me.

I was lucky enough to come across a sweet smelling patch of freshly cut grass, another one of my favourite sensory experiences.

Red nailpolish

I don't know why red nailpolish is the sexiest colour, and why it looks so damn hot on short nails.

It just does. And that makes me happy.

This is Australis Rich Red.

Opshop bargains

It goes without saying that finding a few very wearable tops and necklaces for next to nothing is a small pleasure for me.

Warm sun on my face

I think it's really sad that we've been so indoctrinated with the "sun is bad" message that we seem to live in terror of getting sun on our faces.

I've been reading a lot about how getting enough sunlight directly onto our skin (without sunscreen), and through our eyes, helps avoid health problems like SAD (seasonal affective disorder) and Vitamin D deficiency, which is linked to heaps of other health issues.

And of course, sunlight is an instant mood booster.

Apparently our modern lifestyle of working and spending so much time indoors, and the habit of wearing sunglasses as soon as we step outdoors, contributes to mood disorders because the sunlight needs to pass through our eyes and into our brains to change the chemicals which affect our moods.

Obviously I'm not going to stare into the sun, so I shut my eyes and 10 minutes is all that's needed to get a healthy dose of sunshine.

I need to try and get those 10 minutes every day.

***

Forgotten treats

I was craving something to dunk into my afternoon coffee, but there was nothing in the house.

Or so I thought until I discovered this packet of McDonald's cookies hiding at the back of the pantry.

I probably pushed them back there all the way back in November, when I was trying to do No-sugar-vember.

They were actually a bit stale, but it was a momentary thrill anyway

***

Sometimes it can be really hard to be grateful for all the things I do have when I'm feeling this way. There are some days where I want to do a Daily Gratitude post and I sit staring at the little pad of Post-Its, unable to think of anything meaningful, and then put it away.

Today I guess I was reminded that just having a sense of smell and a $1 box of cookies can be all it takes to brighten a crappy day, if I let it.

If you feel like sharing any other ideas for brightening a crappy day, I'd love to hear them

xx Kiki

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Have you ever tried this combination?

I usually get sick of eating the same thing every day, but this obsession is showing no sign of waning.

I should give it up. Even though it's only about a teaspoon of cream, it's probably not helping my waistline eating it each day.

It's so delicious, though.

***

The hand mixer I already have is just a cheapie from the supermarket. It's dreadful because the speed starts at fast and goes through to supersonic. So I end up getting completely splattered.

I'd planned on getting a Bamix or a Cuisinart but when I saw this one at an opshop for $5, it was in such good nick I figured it had hardly been used.

It has no scratches, and the condition of the cord is often a good indicator of how much an appliance has been used. This one's pristine.

It's not exactly pretty with its vintage cream and brown casing, and I've never heard of the Heritage brand, but it does the job. And most importantly, at incremental speeds.

I'm looking forward to baking now that I won't wear the batter.

***

Speaking of baking, I've been looking high and low for a silicon bundt pan, without success.

Silicon pans are a dime a dozen for round cakes, square cakes, loaves, muffins, cupcakes, even ring cakes.

But not bundts.

So I was thrilled to spot this one in an opshop for $4.

Went shopping at the South Melbourne Market for some ricotta to make the Ricotta and Lime Syrup Cake again.

You can save so much money shopping at markets. 250g of ricotta was only $1.80.

***

I wore a lovely teal nailpolish, Runway by Mode.

Got complimented on it by my 2 year old niece.

Well, she grabbed my hands and looked at my nails while babbling something I couldn't make out, but was probably something like "Ooh, I love that colour. Looks great on you!"

A girl after my own heart.

This shade worked perfectly with my new necklace I wore to Mother's Day lunch.

I loved the hand painted vintage feel of this card.

***

I've been really enjoying reading What Is the What by Dave Eggers for book club.

It feels like a long time since I've read a book where I've really enjoyed the author's writing style, not just the plot or the characters.

Dave Eggers' most well known book is A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, which I've heard of but not read. One of the girls from book club says it's a completely accurate description and one of the best books she's ever read.

I really want to read it now, because I'm enjoying this one so much.

I'm trying to spend less time in the evenings on my laptop, because after I read for a couple of hours last night, I felt so relaxed. And I realised I never feel relaxed after a couple of hours surfing the net.

I just feel exhausted. But have trouble getting to sleep.

Last night I fell asleep so easily, and slept quite peacefully

So, I have a cup of tea beside me, just like in that picture, and I'm going to curl up on the couch now and read some more.

Good night

xx Kiki

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The quality of the formulas, the colours and their durability was pretty amazing for something so dirt cheap, at $2 – $2.50 a bottle.

They were also manufactured in Australia – in Queensland – which made a lot of loyal customers happy.

Then they moved production to China.

And it all started to go downhill.

I first noticed problems with the Non Chip Top Coat. Previously, it was my go-to top coat for its high shine, fast drying time and trueness to its name. Now it simply refuses to dry.

This is what my nails look like wearing Non Chip Top Coat made in PRC.

Sheet marks galore, and I painted my nails in the middle of the day, many hours before bed. Two days later and it was still denting and marking.

The new formula of the Non Chip Top Coat will never dry hard. It will stay soft until you remove it.

***

I hoped it was just the top coat, and that Ulta3 would realise something was wrong and fix it.

Then I saw that Ulta3 was now available in Woolworths, Coles and Big W. Previously they were hard to find, only stocked in a select number of pharmacies.

Clearly they moved production offshore so they could fulfill orders from 3 big national chains.

I wasn't thrilled, but then I saw my favourite colour – Plum Violet – in Coles and I was horrified.

The bottle on the left is the Made in Australia Plum Violet. The bottle on the right is Made in PRC.

They're completely different colours.

The original is a gorgeous bright pink with a touch of purple that is just sensational, especially in summer against tanned skin.

The PRC one is a pretty enough pink, but rather run-of-the-mill and unexciting.

The top two are the original and the bottom two are the PRC.

Something has gone terribly amiss with their formulas because these are completely different pinks.

I'm going to have to use my original Plum Violet bottle very judiciously and hope that I can find an old Made in Australia bottle somewhere.

It's so disappointing when a favourite brand changes manufacturers and ruins everything completely.

My two favourite Ulta3 products are now useless to me.

***

Have you noticed any of your favourite Ulta3 colours changed when they moved production to China?

My second favourite colour is Scarlet, and now I'm going to have check and see whether they've ruined that too.

So sad

xx Kiki

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Anymore.

I used to be, but having fairly temperamental skin, I've learned over the years that less is more when it comes to what I put on my face, hair or the rest of my body.

So now I don't tend buy something new unless the old one stops working, or I develop a new need.

Like when I had a full fringe cut (after wearing a side swept fringe, or no fringe, my whole life), I developed a need for hairspray to keep it in place.

All those years of a side swept fringe meant my hair wanted to style itself that way. I needed a good product to "retrain" the hairs by keeping them in one place.

I love this hairpsray.

Lee Stafford Hold Tight Hairspray

It's very lightweight, but with a strong hold.

My fringe still looks natural and not "frozen" the way it does with some other brands.

It also gives texture and volume to the rest of my hair when I lightly mist it over and then brush it out.

I highly recommend it for fine hair that usually gets weighed down by product.

***

I don't think I'd have ever bought a serum if A'kin hadn't sent me a sample of this when they first released it a couple of years ago.

A'Kin Cellular Radiance Serum

It was around the time I was really getting into the Oil Cleansing Method, and was very interested in the skin benefits of different oils. So I was thrilled to try it.

It looks like rosehip oil, quite a dark orange, but is not as viscous as rosehip. Which I liked because rosehip breaks me out.

I particularly love that it sinks in much more readily than other oils I've tried, and doesn't leave me feeling greasy.

It also has an instant calming and cooling effect, which is great when my skin is feeling stressed and tired and dried out.

As much as I'm cynical about marketing adjectives, for me this serum really does have an "energising, brightening and revitalising" effect. My skin just looks healthier the next day (I wear it to bed).

***

Ugh. Pimples.

Not just for teenagers anymore.

Mine tend to be diet (okay, coffee) related and stress related.

Years ago, I bought Nicolas Perricone's book The Acne Prescription, and in a nutshell, acne is caused by inflammation and you can get rid of it by reducing the inflammation in your body.

Unfortunately, that essentially means living on blueberries, salmon and grains for the rest of your life.

I'm just not that disciplined, especially given that my skin's pretty good most of the time.

When it's not, I use a product most mums would recognise instantly – Sudocrem.

You find it in the baby care aisle of supermarkets and pharmacies because it's most commonly used for treating nappy rash.

It is a thick white cream that looks like zinc cream, because it essentially is zinc cream. The reason it's so effective is because zinc has excellent anti-inflammatory properties.

Since a pimple is an inflammation of a pore or follicle, zinc is very effective at bringing down the inflammation.

I find that rubbing a tiny bit of Sudocream into a break out can mean it's half the size, or even completely disappeared, the next morning. I apply it before bed because it does leave a white cast even when rubbed in.

It's awesome on blind pimples too. I kind of think of it as a miracle cream.

***

I've tried a number of different kohl eyeliners over the years, from low end Priceline products to high end brands like Christian Dior. Happily, I have finally found my holy grail.

NARS Black Moon Eyeliner

I'm not sure if NARS is considered high end. If you go by Mecca's price ($45) I guess so, but who pays retail for cosmetics anymore?

I got this from ASOS for $20.

It's the perfect eyeliner. Heavily pigmented, so you don't have to keep dragging it back and forward. Creamy enough that it goes on smoothly without pulling, but not too creamy that it slides off half an hour later. Long wearing.

Unless this stops working for some reason, I'm happy to adopt NARS Black Moon as my eyeliner and stop searching for anything better.

***

I discovered Nivea Visage Triple Action Soy Eye & Lip Care via Jacie at You've Got Nail.

Her before and after shots sold me.

I've never truly believed any anti-wrinkle claims, particularly from a drugstore brand. Nivea is not a brand I would have ever considered for an eye cream.

I don't think I've even bought an eye cream before. I just used whatever came with a gift with purchase or a sample or something.

I've almost finished this tube, which is unheard of for me, so that alone is testimony to the effectiveness of this product.

I don't have any before and after pictures, but I definitely think it softened my lines and prevents new ones from forming.

It's also around $20, so firmly in the bargain camp.

***

Microfibre cloths are quite the miracle invention.

Around the house, they're indispensable. Nothing cleans glass like microfibre, with no chemicals, streaks or lint.

They've reduced the need for many cleaning products – harsh chemicals or expensive gentle natural ones – in most rooms of my home.

They're also fantastic for facial exfoliation.

This is the one I use.

Natralia Nourish Exfoliation Cloth.

I used to use the microfibre facewasher you can find in the body care aisle of Woolworths. It was only okay for me, even though it's very popular on the Vogue Forums.

Then I saw these on the counter at Chemist Warehouse for $2 and thought, "Why not?"

I should have asked the same question when I didn't go straight back and buy ten more.

When I did finally go back, they'd obviously been on promotion because the price had gone up to $15 or something.

I don't even think they stock them anymore, but you can still get them online.

This cloth will pull out all the dirt and blockages from your pores like some weird cloth-like vacuum. My skin feels smooth as silk after I use it.

Like any microfibre cloth, it's easy to think it's not working and rub your skin raw without realising (it doesn't hurt while you're cleansing but afterward… ouch), but I learned that lesson quickly.

***

So that's just a few of my favourite products, and things that work well for my skin and hair.

No product is going to work the same way for everyone, but all of these products are under $20 (except A'kin Cellular Radiance Serum, which is around $30 but can be bought for less in Priceline's fairly regular sales) so won't break the bank if you try them and they don't suit your biology.

I'd love to hear your thoughts if you do use any of these

xx Kiki

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I think this has been done by everyone I would have tagged, so I'm just going to do the facts and answer Cindy's questions.

10 facts about yourself is hard, though! I think last time I did one of these it was 7, and that was tough enough.

Okay, thinking hat on…

1. I recently found my first white hair – in my eyelashes.

I have one single white eyelash on my right eye.

2. The very first time I saw croc shoes, in Port Douglas about 7 or 8 years ago, I thought they were kinda cute. I can only think the previous day's scuba dives deprived oxygen from my brain.

Please don't judge me.

3. After highschool, I wanted to be a chef. Luckily I didn't pursue that path, because now I can think of few things I'd like to do less. I love to bake, but cook only because I have to.

I do love Heston, though.

4. Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day. Specifically, going out for breakfast. I love cafe breakfasts. The breakfast buffet is the best part of staying in hotels.

I don't like going out for lunch. Lunch is just for refueling. Or skipping.

Dinner is ok, but not as enjoyable as breakfast.

This is the best breakfast I've ever had – Eggs Romano at Sweethearts in South Melbourne.

5. I was once homeless in New York City, on New Years Eve. I slept alone on an empty train travelling between NYC and Washington DC, the deserted DC train station and then back in Penn Station, NYC.

(source)

I'm probably lucky to still be alive.

6. The fastest speed I've driven a car is 180km/ph, in the Northern Territory outback, back when there were no legal speed limits up there.

(source)

7. My clothes must be first and foremost comfortable. This is why I don't get overly into fashion. I find most clothes not made from cotton lycra unbearably uncomfortable and miserable-making.

I wish I was one of those women who looked effortlessly fashionable – and comfortable in it – all the time, but I don't think it'll ever happen.

8. No-one told me that turning 30 would be the best thing that would ever happen to me. I was shy, painfully awkward and uncomfortable in my own skin, but that person seemed to melt away when I turned 30.

I wouldn't revisit my 20s if you paid me millions.

9. I don't understand the colour maroon. I feel an inexplicable hatred for it. And burgundy. Just dark purplish reds in general.

Such a beautiful dress… in another colour.

10. Whenever I see makeup wrecked in beauty magazines – chopped up lipstick, crushed eyeshadow, spilled nailpolish – a part of me cries "Noooooo!" I know it looks effective, and makes the colours easier to see and they get the product for free anyway, but I can't help being irked by the waste.

Okay, now Cindy's questions

1. Have you ever been in love? If so, how many times?

Yes, just once.

2. If you could have any animal for a pet, what would you have?

A direwolf. Called Nymeria.

3. Favourite book?

I don't have one favourite. I don't really do favourites. I'm very egalitarian!

I really like Bill Bryson as an author. His humour is the kind that warms me from the inside, like a hot drink on a chilly day.

4. Your life is being made into a movie – who is playing you?

Maybe Uma Thurman, just because I get told I look like her all the time. Personality-wise that's a dud fit, though. Probably Clare Danes.

5. In the aforementioned movie, who plays the love interest?

Edward Norton. Or Joseph Gordon Levitt.

6. Favourite band?

Again, no favourites. I tend to like singers more than bands.

I have rediscovered The Darkness now that they're touring again, though. I was seriously tempted to go, because I have great memories of their 06 tour.

7. My tip to Cindy on how to be organised is…

Declutter first, ruthlessly, then make sure everything has a designated 'home'. Once a day, 'sweep' your rooms, putting everything back in their homes.

8. Favourite website?

kikichaos.com of course

I'm starting to get into pinterest. Reluctantly though, because I can already tell it's a huge time sinkhole.

9. You're home alone. What do you do?

Put on music and dance.

10. When I grow up I want to be…..

No one thing. I plan to be and do lots of things, whatever life brings my way.

11. What would you like future generations to remember you for?

I don't really care if I'm not remembered at all. I don't feel the pressure to leave a legacy.

xx Kiki

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So even though these are very Summer-y colours – it's called the icecream collection – and it's practically winter, there are a few that wouldn't look out of place at this time of year.

I think this is ulta3's first all-creme collection, which is long overdue. You know how much I love cremes.

My favourite out of the 6 is…

Mango Mayhem.

It's a beautiful creamy mid-orange, and you could get away with two coats, although I love a very solid finish so would go for a third.

It's the only one that dries matte, so will need a topcoat to make it nice and shiny.

***

Kiwi Kaos

I expected to hate this colour, since that's how I've felt about all the other ulta3 greens.

That's not really as judgmental as it sounds, since I find very few greens easy to pull off.

But to my surprise, I found kiwi kaos quite an appealing shade.

It is opaque in two coats and very easy to apply.

***

Violet Rumble

This shade is the reason I took so long to swatch this collection – I couldn't find it anywhere. I really wanted it because I love the idea of a violet creme.

Sadly, I found it disappointing.

The shade lacks depth, probably because the formula is so watery and streaky.

I think this is three coats, and it would probably need a fourth to cover all the bare patches.

***

Blue Heaven

This is a very cheerful colour.

Another one that's opaque in two coats and easy to apply.

***

Strawberry Sundae

This is a fairly bright pink, and another quite happy shade.

I think it's quite similar to Party Shoes.

It's quite streaky and I couldn't get it opaque in under three coats.

***

Lemon Tart

The last shade in the collection is Lemon Tart, a rather soft pastel yellow.

I think this the kind of pale yellow you see on babies clothes. It's quite a sweet shade.

It's quite labour intensive though, because it's the most watery of all the colours and quite streaky. I think this is three coats, and would probably need a fourth to cover all the bald patches.

***

I'm not a fan of skittles nails (multi coloured) on myself, but I did paint my 11 year old niece's fingers and toes with the icecream collection and it looked very cute.

Now that I've swatched them I'll probably give them all to her, and go and re-buy mango mayhem, and maybe kiwi kaos, for myself.

xx Kiki

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Nothing very exciting, just a meander through the last few days.

***

The people over at MIFF (Melbourne International Film Festival) kindly sent me a double pass to a German Film Festival movie of my choice.

It's a pity it only arrived a couple of days before the festival ended, and wasn't valid for the last day. I really wanted to see a German film.

I enjoy foreign films, but I don't think I've ever seen a German one.

Have you? Any you would recommend?

***

I noticed the landlord planted a creeper against the fence down the side of our place.

It's a Black Eyed Susan.

I was quite thrilled because I haven't seen a Black Eyed Susan for years. I think my mum had some in the garden when I was growing up.

I always thought the name was pretty cool.

Who is this Susan with mysterious, exotic-sounding black eyes?

They're such a sweet looking flower. I have a thing for orange at the moment too, so it's my kind of plant.

Poor little Susan's been given an Herculean task, though. This lone 30cm tall plant will need to go forth and multiply at breakneck speed to cover the 20 or so metres of fence she's been given.

Our landlord is a very odd man.

***

Our kitchen knives have been getting quite blunt, and I've never been confident with those steels that come with the set. So I ordered one of those 2-stage sharpeners.

I used to send my knives off to be professionally sharpened but I think they take off too much of the blade.

On the left is a paring knife I had sharpened a few times over the years, and on the right is one that hasn't seen a whetstone since it left the factory.

You can really see how much of the left has been ground away.

I don't actually know if the Wusthof sharpener is any gentler, I'm just hoping, really.

It will be nice to have super-sharp – and safe – knives again.

***

It was Mr K's mum's birthday on the weekend and she'd told us she wanted one of these Kenwood Triblade stick blenders.

So, we rock up with it, only to find that she'd already bought one and had meant we could put in some money for it.

Which was a nice handy way for me to score my own Kenwood blender!

It came home with me, happily tucked under my arm.

No more fussing around trying to ladle scalding hot soup into my vitamizer.

***

Can you tell which of these coffees is a boy and which is a girl?

Gender discrimination is rife in Hospitality, and it's not chefs pinching waitresses bums.

Apparently only girls drink lattes and guys drink flat whites.

Nine out of ten times, the waiters will plonk my flat white in front of Mr K and his latte in front of me.

I've decided next time we go out to order a double espresso and a skinny soy mochaccino…. and really bend some minds!

***

Went wandering through Brunswick and fell in love with these side tables.

They're American Ash on the sides and the raised parquetry tops are Victorian Ash.

I'm not sure if this justifies the $600 price tag… each.

I do love them, though.

We are sorely in need of side tables for our lounges, but these will probably stay on the "I wish" list.

***

xx Kiki

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(I'm sure I'll go to my grave hearing "Winter is coming" as the Stark words first and seasonal reference second)

I'm a winter loving creature and it's been so icy lately, it seemed right to pull out a robust winter recipe – Pea and Ham Soup.

I've actually never made it before.

Why, I don't know because it's so incredibly quick and easy!

You only need 7 ingredients.

• 500g green split peas
• 1 litre chicken stock
• 2 litres water
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 stick of celery
• 1 kg ham hock or bacon bones

First you rinse the peas in a sieve until the water is clear.

Chop up the three vegies.

And put all the ingredients together in a big pot.

Cook over a medium high heat for 1.5 hours.

Periodically skim the froth that comes to the surface during cooking.

Pull out the ham hock and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, use a stick blender to puree the rest of the soup in the pot.

Sadly I don't have a stick blender, so I use an upright blender and pour it back into the pot.

Shred the meat off the ham hock into bite sized pieces, and put back in the soup.

Serve with crusty bread.

Yum!

This recipe serves 6.

xx Kiki

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But like all illicit affairs, it comes with no small amount of guilt.

Because Seche Vite is the best thing that has happened to my nails, as well as the worst thing that's happened to my nails.

Let me tell you about the best things first, though.

Extremely Quick Drying

SV dries in around 5 minutes. Not just touch-dry. And not just the top layer.

SV dries through all the layers of nailpolish, and your base coat, sealing it all rock hard.

You can go straight to bed and not get any sheet marks. I wouldn't advise opening ring pull cans or anything, but you're totally able to get on with your day after 5-10 minutes, without smudging your manicure.

No more fanning, iced water or drying drops. I used to swear by drying drops, but I haven't touched mine since using SV.

A Slick Finish

You know when you see some nailpolish pictures and there seems to be a slickness and shine to the nails that almost looks like highly lacquered wood?

There's an evenness and a thick gloss that you haven't been able to replicate with your own topcoat.

I think it's most likely Seche Vite.

SV is the thickest topcoat I've ever used, and you would swear it was going to slide straight off your nails in a gloopy mess. But it levels itself out and settles over the colour like a magical bead of dew.

For glitters, it's a godsend. Nothing smooths over the roughness and makes glitters shine like SV. I've applied up to 3 layers of other topcoats over glitters, but not anymore.

It kind of has to be experienced to know exactly what I mean. But trust me, I haven't seen anything like it before.

SV gives everyone the 'professional' finish we always thought was a secret only the top nail bloggers knew.

High Shine

Most topcoats start to go dull after a day or so, and you need to reapply to get that fresh, shiny, "wet" look.

SV stays gorgeously shiny until you take it off.

Hard Wearing

When applied properly, SV will give you the longest lasting manicure you've ever had.

If applied incorrectly, it'll chip within a few hours. There are some tricks you need to know to get SV to work properly, and I'll share those later.

***

So, what about the bad things about Seche Vite?

The guilt that niggles away at the back of my mind, and I keep pushing away?

This.

That's the warning that comes on the side of the SV packaging.

Now, I know I'm always advocating eco friendly-this and nasty chemical-free that. I'm all about the environment and healthy living.

Except for my one big hypocrisy – nailpolish.

Not all of my nailpolishes are Big 3 Free.

But none of them have told me to my face that if I use them I might give birth to children with three heads.

So what do I do?

I justify it.

• I have no immediate plans to have children.
• If I did, I would stop using it.
• I don't use it that much anyway, since the regularity of my manicures is pretty hit and miss.

I know women who won't use it while breastfeeding, and I think that's a good idea. Just like a lot of people stop dyeing their hair when they're pregnant, and breastfeeding too. It makes sense.

However, maybe it's not just while actively childbearing that SV is a problem, and that's where I really stick my head in the sand.

Nailpolish is a weakness for me. One use of Seche Vite and I was a lost cause.

There may be an alternative, though, which I'll also discuss later.

Shrinkage

Seche Vite is notoriously tricky to use, at least at first.

The major problem is that the topcoat shrinks and pulls away from edges as it dries. That means it will pull away from the tip of the nail, and the edge of the colour near the cuticle.

It will look something like this – like major tip wear, but after only a few hours.*

The nailpolish line nearest the cuticles will also appear cracked, as SV pulls away as it dries.

There are ways around this, however, so read on.

***

Other than those two, I haven't found any other drawbacks.

I have heard that SV goes gluggy really quickly, and some people only get 1/3rd through a bottle before it's too thick to use, but I haven't found that yet.

I purchased Seche Restore – their thinner – in case this happens.

Apparently normal thinners won't work with SV because they're all usually Big 3 Free, which, of course, SV isn't. So you have to use Restore.

Tips and Hints for Using Seche Vite

Okay, so you want to experience the miracle top coat that is Seche Vite yourself?

You could – like I did – buy into all the hype and eagerly slap it on the minute it arrives in your mailbox (MUCH cheaper online).

And then recoil in horror at the major shrinkage that appears within an hour or so.

Or you could follow these few easy steps and experience the glory of Seche Vite in all its glossy wonder.

1.

You MUST leave a gap between your cuticle and the edge of your nailpolish, to allow SV to extend past your nail line at the cuticle.

You may have noticed that I never paint my nails right up to the cuticle. Apart from the fact that I cannot bear the look of flooded cuticles, this allows me enough room to paint SV past the edge of my polish line at the cuticle.

You should also make sure that SV completely covers every millimetre of nailpolish – at the cuticle, the tip and down the sides. It must be completely smothered.

By doing this, when SV shrinks, it will not pull the nailpolish underneath with it, and cause ugly cracks.

2.

You MUST wrap your tips.

If you don't know what I mean by wrapping your tips, it's where you paint the topcoat along the free edge of your fingernail. Like so.

(Please excuse my blurry pictures… these are so hard to photograph without free hands).

SV will most likely get under your fingernail and onto the skin under your nail, but it's easy enough to peel off once it's dry.

Think of it like the Clag glue you used to deliberately put on your hands in primary school Arts and Crafts, so you could peel it off later! (or was that just me…?)

3.

Apparently SV will shrink less if you apply it over wet polish. However, since I spend a good 5-10 minutes cleaning up my nails before applying a topcoat, my nails were no longer wet enough for this to work.

I read that you can use up an old top coat to "re-wet" your nails before applying SV, but this was just an extra layer and an extra step that I found annoying.

I find that when I paint past my cuticle line and wrap my tips, SV doesn't shrink on me, and I get the perfect finish.

***

So, that is Seche Vite.

It may not be for you. Or you may be champing at the bit to get your hands on some.

What about the alternative to SV that I mentioned earlier?

It's a Big 3 Free topcoat, called Poshe, that doesn't come with dire health warnings.

It also doesn't quite match the SV finish, but it's worth a look if SV's warning is a deal breaker.

I will have to review it another time, though. So stay tuned!

xx Kiki

* This shrinkage actually happened with Poshe, which also suffers from shrinkage issues. I'm just using this pic for illustrative purposes because I couldn't get SV to shrink on me when I wanted to take a picture!

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