Barry M • Instant Nail Effects • Polishes

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SanyaX on 9/23/2012 8:24:00 AM more reviews by SanyaX

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Tan   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Love this nail polish. The best one I have ever tried. The quality is amazing for the price and it dries pretty quick. Would definitely buy again once I run out :D

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gemmakeup on 8/28/2012 7:44:00 AM more reviews by gemmakeup

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Blue    

I'd seen this worn on a few of the girls at work and thought it looked really smart so decided to go and get some. I chose to buy the black just because that was the colour I had seen on most people and thought it had the best effect but have since bought the gold.
You can also purchase purple, pink, white and silver

I purchased mine from Superdrug for £4 however I have been told that you can buy them cheaper online as part of a gift set.
~Packaging~
The nail vanish was easy to locate as Superdrug have defined sections instore for the different brands/
The bottle is made from glass and has the Barry M logo in gold writing across the front. The lid depicts the crackle effect however for those of you who know it, I must say that the picture reminds me of the Hilton Hotel in Manchester.
The size is 10ml .

~Its whats inside that counts....~
The brush is a great size, small and tight enough to neatly get to the edges but also wide and flexible enough to quickly cover your nail.
The crackle is quite thick and I have found that you dont need much to get the desired effect however you really can vary the amount you put on depending on how brave you're feeling, that goes for base colour too.
The black crackle looks amazing over hot pink or yellow but can be used over other paler colours which wont look out of place at work.
My sister and I painted every one of our toe nails different colours and then put this over the top and it looked brill, really good fun! I do tend to wear this on my toes more than my fingers to be honest as I do with most novelty varnishes.
~How do I apply?~
Just like the magnetic polish, you first have to apply a base coat however the good thing about this in comparison with the Magnetic one is that you can be as liberal with the base coat as you want and also you can use any polish on the base, the choice of colour and brand is completely yours. Once your base coat is dry to touch, you should apply the crackle (after firstly giving the bottle a really good shake)
Apply the crackle as you would with any top coat and wait for it to dry. The crackle effect appears almost instantly and dries quickly too so it is best to try and apply as quickly as possible in as few strokes as possible as going over the top of pre-applied polish can ruin the result.

~Staying power~
I was really impressed with the staying power, I have easily got 3 days out of it which for me, is a rarity and on toes, has lasted almost a fortnight.

Removes easy enough with normal nail polish remover.

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lovinvanilla on 4/8/2012 5:05:00 AM more reviews by lovinvanilla

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

This is by far the best crackle polish I've tried and my absolute fave! It does not just crack lengthwise, like most other shatter polishes, but kind of all over the nail, which looks so much better. Like I have randomly spattered some paint over my nails. I get complimented all the time when I have this on and people actually ask if I have painted the spatters on by hand, lol.


I have the Instant Nail Effects in croc, black, pink and deep purple, which has teeny tiny blue and red shimmer particles in it. Fabulous! You absolutely must use a good, thick, shiny top coat with this, to get the most beautiful effect. Make sure you only apply the shatter polish over a completely dry colour coat, or the shatter will pull the colour underneath with it when it fractures. This needs to be applied quickly as it dries really fast and to a matte finish (hence the need for a top coat). A thick coat gives bigger gaps between spatters, showing more of the colour underneath. A thinner layer results in finer fissures. Will definiely buy again if they come out with more colours of if I run out.


The only one of these I cannot recommend is the newer Croc Crackle. It takes ages for the crackle effect to appear, about 3-5 minutes, whereas the effect with the other shatter polishes is pretty much instantaneous. While it does look kind of like crocodile scales, the fissures are so fine, that you hardly see the colour underneath and the effect is only noticeable up close. From a distance this just looks like you have black nail polish on.

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PuppyNurse on 1/1/2012 2:39:00 PM more reviews by PuppyNurse

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Normal, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I Love the Idea of the crackly nail, it makes your nails look a bit different and interesting ... and also the fact you can pick the colour that goes under it...

there is other crackly nail polishes out there but this one is by far the best, people complain that it doesn't work very well but when u get the hang of it, it's fast and easy to use...
On the other hand... this product can start to get a bit repetertive and boring if you wear it all the time!

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*TOP REVIEWER* Sambalina82 on 12/2/2011 3:43:00 PM more reviews by Sambalina82

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Green    

I regret buying this lol, I was attracted to the novelty of it, but I'm far too old to wear this and get away with it, strictly teen market imo, the lippies are for the effect. It's also time consuming - 2 coats of polish, wait to dry, a coat of this then a top coat

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daniellealexandra on 11/30/2011 8:31:00 AM more reviews by daniellealexandra

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

Love the Barry M black Instant Nail Effects.
The black goes with any colour sans black, and teamed with a glittery top coat looks really cute.

I've bought the white crackle and it only really goes with blak nail polish, and even then it's not that great.

I'll stick with black, but I'm dying to try the metallics.

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ELfin814 on 11/29/2011 7:20:00 PM more reviews by ELfin814

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Green    

I am a big fan of Barry M Nail Paints, and this product is no exception! I have this crackle in black, and it is hands down the best crackle that I've used. I tried it against OPI & Sally Hansen's similar product and got much better results.

This polish produces an even crackle on each nail and I have not had any trouble using it multiple times.

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abigailmurray on 11/14/2011 1:37:00 PM more reviews by abigailmurray

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Normal, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Amazing crackle effect for the price, at around £4.
I must say, the coloured ones didn't impress me much, as you could hardly see my base colour through it. The black one was amazing though, and prettied up my boring polishes.
They dry out pretty quickly though, as even while your painting your nails with the effect polish it starts to dry out.
Overall, cool product. Maybe consider buying the item again, although I prefer the shatter effect, rather than the crackle.

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lolars on 9/18/2011 11:19:00 AM more reviews by lolars

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Oily, Fair, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

worked well the first time, and i wanted to try out the crackle affect without spending too much. after a couple of uses, it drys out on the brush and in the bottle really quickly and stops working. awful product.

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lilmi on 9/15/2011 12:52:00 PM more reviews by lilmi

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Olive   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

A crackle nail polish that actually crackles. Amazing.
They come in black, white, light blue and light pink.
I've used the black one as it goes with everything and in my opinion, is the best one from the lot. However, during the past few months it's become a huge trend and literally everyone is wearing it so I've gone off it.

I think it's great to add something different if you're bored with your usual polish. Also ideal for those who aren't confident enough to try nail art. I still have quite a lot of it left even though I've used it a few times but I probably wont repurchase as I'm a bit bored of it.

Just remember to add a topcoat after applying!

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queenofbruises on 9/11/2011 4:15:00 PM more reviews by queenofbruises

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Olive, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I like this product as it's a bit different, and has a really cool effect. However the only thing is that it doesn't look quite right with the other nail varnishes I've used under the Instant Nail Effects. The nail varnish I'd use underneath would look 'shiny', but the Nail Effects is matte so it looks a bit weird.
I've also tried putting a clear nail varnish over the top of it all to make both the nail varnishes 'shiny' but that doesn't look right either.
Nevertheless, it is a good product, and maybe I just need to experiment with different nail varnishes.

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lissmorleyx on 8/17/2011 12:44:00 PM more reviews by lissmorleyx

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Blond, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

Good effect but can look a bit messy as the result is not the same on every nail and can go a bit 'iffy' good and cheap if you want the crackle effect though!!

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MiriamRSmith92 on 8/17/2011 12:38:00 PM more reviews by MiriamRSmith92

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Other, Kinky   Eyes: Brown    

When i first saw a crackle effects Nail Polish it was by OPI and I really wanted to try it but it was really above my budget. When I found out that Barry M did a much cheaper version I was really excited to try it and was so pleased with the result! I definatley think it looks best over lighter colours such as Barry M strawberry Ice cream, the only downside to this Nail Polish is that it clumps a bit so you have to shake it really well before use

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*TOP REVIEWER* FauxChic on 7/18/2011 7:59:00 PM more reviews by FauxChic

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Dark, Warm   Hair: Black, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

At an inexpensive price tag that does the job very well, you can't go wrong with this!, I've got the pink shade that I am still currently testing out and figuring out which colours it looks good against. I've got to be entirely honest - I wasn't expecting miracles to occur on my nails as I bought it on a whim and I wasn't expecting really poor results either but I've got to say it's definitely one of the best crackle polishes on the market! At a mere £3.99, Barry M are up against Nail giants with the likes of OPI and China Glaze and I'd say keep your money and 'splurge' on the Barry M counterparts at your local Superdrug. Now my mum really hates the shabby look it gives to my nails which did indeed affected the way I felt about this polish but after a thought I realised that I love the funky, edgy flair that it consistently gives to my nails!
Will repurchase!

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*TOP REVIEWER* misti_parrott on 6/16/2011 12:12:00 PM more reviews by misti_parrott

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

When i first discovered this amazing effect for your nails, it was the first of it's kind on the market, or at least that people knew of.
Having since then tried out other versions it's by far one of the best.
You just apply 2 coats of your favorite nail varnish, wait for them to dry, and then very carefully apply 1 coat of Barry M nail effects over the top.
You have to be careful when you apply it as you cannot overlap it or it will dry in to unattractive black blobs and ridges.
I always apply a clear topcoat over it aswell because the nail effect itself is quite matte and can feel abit rough.
My favorite colours to pair with it are- electric blue, bright yellow and white.

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Amealiaa on 6/2/2011 1:08:00 PM more reviews by Amealiaa

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Normal, Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I really like this product as it most often provides a cute, funky nail effect. For best results, you do need to apply a thick coat but only apply one coat per nail or you will end up with random black splodges. The one problem I found was that the varnish itself is quite gloopy and so it can be difficult to apply evenly or neatly without getting it all over your fingers. The varnish also ends up building up all around the bottle after a few applications. Despite the few application problems the overall result is an interesting and different look that stands out!

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jod84 on 5/26/2011 7:15:00 PM more reviews by jod84

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Blue    

ummm not sure if i like this...........my boyfriend thinks it just looks as if i chiped all my nails and that comment sort of put me off lol

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tweetypiebabe1 on 5/19/2011 7:05:00 AM more reviews by tweetypiebabe1

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Olive, Warm   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Not that this needs anymore reviews but as I've just finished painting my nails with this polish for the umpteenth time I figure why not?!

I was really excited when this first came on the market and grabbed it up asap. As more brands started developing these nail effects in different shades, I was ecstatic when BarryM decided to produce three new colours (blue, pink & white) as they are the most affordable effect polishes on the market. I own the black and white and I find that although they are the same formula the white cracks very differently from the black as the white cracks much bigger than the black.

The only thing I dislike about the product is the way it clumps in the bottle. I find I have to clean the bottle and the brush every time I use the product and while I'm painting, it does sometimes hinder productivity.

All in all great product for an extremely affordable price :)

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Sugarnspice28 on 5/10/2011 10:37:00 AM more reviews by Sugarnspice28

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Dark, Cool   Hair: Black, Curly, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

Finally managed to get my hands on the black one of these! I love the effect it gives, work quickly as I have noticed the brush will dry very quickly and be careful not to go over any bit twice. Great product overall and so glad Barry M came out with this as I really wantt the OPI shatter but was put off the price!

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mhxx on 4/29/2011 3:15:00 PM more reviews by mhxx

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Medium   Eyes: Green    

I was considering buying a bottle of OPI's black shatter, but seeing as I'm not a huge nail polish fan I was a bit reluctant to pay the price they were asking, but the funky effect and ease of the nail polish was just too appealing, then, just before I bought it, I spotted instant effects by barry m, a perfect dupe at a reasonable price!

I love this nail varnish, its quirky and fun. I work in a shop, and all day yesterday when I was on tills, I had customers almost grabbing my hands saying how cool my nail varnish was!

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