Rimmel Lycra Wear 10 + Minerals Nail Polish

Rimmel's Lycra Wear 10 + Minerals nail polish claims to last 10 days without a base or top coat. (Yeah, right.) I definitely had to apply a base and top coat - by Carolyn New York - because despite it's claims, I didn't have much faith in them.

The first color I bought and tried was Milk Chocolate - a creme nude, muted, and dusty fawn brown - which actually does look like chocolate milk. I don't know if I like this color since it looks pretty blah indoors, but outdoors, it looks less ugly.

*Product Specs*

• 0.4 fl oz (12 ml) for around $3.49
• Comes with a flat-type brush, which makes application easier
• Goes on smoothly and easily
• Not sheer or runny but requires at least 2 coats
• Readily available just about everywhere
• Available in 21 colors
• Formaldehyde, Toluene, and Phthalate-free

*Daily Activities During Review*

Typing, dishwashing (without gloves), carwashing, shampooing, handwashing and other random activities.

Day 2 was skipped because there were no significant differences. On day 3, there was absolutely no chipping on both hands and only a slight -and I mean slight - wearing off at the tips, which was not noticeable, as portrayed in the picture below.

Day 4 was also skipped because of no significant differences. By day 5, I was amazed because nothing has ever lasted this well on my well-abused fingernails (I'm a frequent hand-washer). The results: minimal wearing off at the tips but not even noticeable when sitting in front of someone. I had to stick my nails right up to my face to even notice it myself. I thought, "Dang, that Lycra probably makes the polish flexible and less likely to chip. Just like how a skyscraper that flexes in the wind doesn't crumble apart."

BUT, after 5 days of wearing the same nail color, I get so sick of it that I need to remove it, plus I like my nails to "breathe." So I didn't see how it would last up to 10 days.

Initially, I was surprised and well-pleased with this nail polish and went on to buy two other bottles. But then I got to thinking that maybe it was my TOP COAT that made Milk Chocolate last so long. Hmm.... So I decided when I used Vintage - my absolute favorite shimmery, mid-toned pink - I would apply the Carolyn New York top coat on my left hand and a Revlon top coat on my right hand...

Vintage Results: Sorry for no pictures of the results. But, with the Carolyn New York top coat on my left hand - the same that I used with Milk Chocolate - there were two noticeable chips after 2 days. =( So that proved that the CNY top coat wasn't the "it" factor the first time I tried this nail polish. The right hand with the Revlon top coat was not any better either - I had a couple noticeable chips after two or three days as well. So much for that Lycra idea. Note: I used the same base coat, too.

So after that, my amazement with the lasting ability of this nail polish went out the door. *slam* But, oh do I LOVE Vintage! Rimmel also makes a Lasting Finish Lipstick called Vintage, so maybe they match each other. Do you know?


The last color I bought was Azteque, which is hard to describe. It's a shimmery, reddish color with dark pink undertones.

Azteque Results: After the disappointing results with Vintage, I went back to using Carolyn New York's base and top coat, like I did with Milk Chocolate. And sadly, after 2 days, I had 3-4 noticeable chips on both hands.

I don't know why I achieved great results when using Milk Chocolate. Maybe it was just that particular color that worked so well, but I have yet to use it a second time.

*FINAL THOUGHTS*

Buy this for the brush, the low price, the colors, and the smooth formula. But don't expect it to last 10 days.


P.S. I'm craving for one of these right now =D