Classic & Classy: Leighton Denny Nail Varnishes

I own a lot of nail varnishes. In fact, I have so many nail varnishes I have to keep them in their own case (and that's after a clear out!). There's something so complete about having freshly painted nails; it makes you feel extra confident and like you 100% have your life together, plus it's even better if the colour matches your outfit (double sass points for you if you do this). Although my collection is quite vast, displaying a large array of brands, colours and nail art trends that have been and gone, I only wear a select few on a regular basis. Back in the day, I'd grab anything bright, fun and daring, however now, the only ones I really turn to are the classic shades that are known for timeless glamour. Perhaps it's working in an office where wacky nail art isn't really accepted, or maybe it's my personal style and taste developing over time, but these Leighton Denny shades are ticking all the right boxes at the moment!

Leighton Denny aren't a brand that was previously on my radar, having only seen a few of their nail varnishes in TK Maxx but never tried them out. I am now regretting my decision not to purchase one in the past because the quality is top notch. If you want a nail varnish with great colour pay off and no chips for nearly a week then this is the brand for you. I tried the two shades Creme de la Creme (a light, nude colour that's great for making nails look longer) and Feel the Burn (an elegant classic red that is perfect for any occasion or outfit). Both are super classy shades, but Feel the Burn is my favourite by far! I found that because the colour of Creme de la Creme was so light, I needed around 3 shades to get it opaque, whereas Feel the Burn's colour was perfect after one coat (although I would recommend two coats just to ensure a deeper, finished colour). If you get any nail varnishes from Leighton Denny, I would suggest getting a darker colour rather than a shade like Creme de la Creme just because the colour pay off is so much better.

The packaging of these isn't particularly wow-ing; the glass bottles are pretty standard and the silver brush lid is encased within a chunky glass layer which is a nice touch and makes it feel a bit different. They're nice and quite sleek. but I wouldn't say they're anything special. Regardless, the formula inside is what counts I guess! I wore Feel the Burn for just over a week and I didn't have any chips until about 6 days in- although I did pop a clear top coat over the top just to seal the varnish, I think this is pretty good going and one of the longest-lasting nail varnishes I own! I'm really impressed with how resilient the formula is, and it's made this glamourous, classy red shade one of my current favourites. (I would show photos of the colours on but my dermotillomania scabs around my cuticles are so bad at the moment I can't bear to share the images!)

One thing that is worth noting about these polishes is that the brush is quite small and thin- a lot smaller than what I am used to using. I much prefer brushes which are quite big and flat as this enables you to coat your nails accurately and evenly in one sweep, making it far more efficient. The smaller brush isn't an issue as such, but it does mean you need to be a bit more careful and accurate with your application. These Leighton Denny nail varnishes retail at £12 each- it's a bit pricey for nail varnish in my opinion but these are actually really good quality and the formula dries pretty quickly so there's no waiting around or fear of smudging (my pet hate). I know they're available online, in M&S and John Lewis, but I've definitely seen them in TK Maxx so keep them peeled when you're next in store in case you can snap one up for a bargain price.