RUBBER MADE

"It's not, like, shiny, but it's not really matte either. It's sort of waxy but not?" After the "woah, sweet nails!" this is a typical reaction to my test drive of Illamasqua's new "Rubber" nail varnish. The cult favorite British beauty brand couldn't have scripted it better themselves. The new "Rubber Brights" range had me at "dominatrix boot inspired," so I had to test it out. Illamasqua promises "fast, buildable coverage" with a "chip-resistant, alternative, matte rubber-like finish," and seriously delivers. I tried 2 coats of each of the 6 new shades on 10 fingers and if my calculations are correct: this is one hell of a nail polish! It looks like latex (but isn't) and dries to a super bright - but not super glossy - finish. So if matte polish is too chalky, high-gloss is too played out and the latest velvets, foils, magnetic, crackles, and so on are a little too experimental, Illamasqua's neon rubber alternatives might be just right, Goldilocks. One note: use a base coat, since it does stain a little and beware of greasy food (in my case, fried chicken), it will ruin the effect. Try Illamasqua's Rubber Finish Nail Varnish for $14 at Sephora

Illamasqua's Rubber Finish Nail Varnish, $14 at Sephora