Kate's Royal Manicure: Perfect Polishes Identified

I know that I'm a little behind in reporting on which nail polishes, yes that's polishes plural, Kate's manicurist used on her for her marriage to Prince William, but now I can tell you where to find them in Canada and how they work. So hopefully that makes up for the fact that this little tidbit is coming so late.

Kate's manicurist Marina Sandavol, who was reportedly recommened to Kate by Camilla (according to the Daily Mail), used Bourjois's "So Laque Ultra Shine Nail Enamel in Rose Lounge" (#28) and Essie's "Allure" (#423) polishes.

For a while there, after I found this out, I was looking for both in stores. However, I was coming up with nothing. In fact, I was finally so desperate that I was going to order Bourjois's polish from Boots in the UK!!! Thankfully it didn't come to that, because Bourjois is sold at Shopper's Drug Mart of all places! And sure enough, when I looked the other day (in the second Shopper's I had to visit) I found it! Now, "Allure" was also hard to find, but I located it quite by accident in a Rexall downtown! So check out your local Shopper's Drug Mart and Rexall to find these products!

I must admit that I am a little baffled by the fact that Kate's manicurist was said to have combined both polishes to make the one look that Kate was finally seen sporting on April 29th. I can't for the life of me figure out how that was done. Were the two literally combined, or was the "Rose Lounge" a base and the "Allure" a kind of top coat?

I personally only bought the "Rose Lounge", because I really liked the colour (or lack of colour for some). The "Allure" was too white for me, and because I wasn't sure how they were used in tandem I opted to purchase the one I knew I would use - which was "Rose Lounge".

The upshot? I absolutely LOVE "Rose Lounge"!!!! It goes on BEAUTIFULLY and I usually struggle with those kinds of colours that require multiple applications. But I was left with what resembled a professional manicure at the end of it, and I was really pleased! I still can't stop looking at my nails!!! I know why Kate chooses to keep her nails in these colours, because they are so neutral that they go with everything, and they are SO feminine and low-key. Very sophisticated, subtle and classic, which basicaly sums up Kate's look in general. Also, if you're sporting a saphire, it's sort of hard to wear anything else :)

I'm tempted to get the Essie polish just to experiment with the two together, but until then I'll continue to enjoy my "Rose Lounge" and the also in the knowledge that I'm wearing the same nail polish as Kate!

Here are the polishes "Rose Lounge" and "Allure", so you know what to look for!