Max Factor Gel Shine Lacquer: So Shiny You Might Want to Take Your Sunglasses Back Out of the Attic

Nothing makes you feel more instantly glamorous than a decent set of nails, whether you go to a salon for a traditional manicure, or try your best at home with your favourite colours. This season, Max Factor are celebrating 100 years of being the make-up of make-up artists (I know you read that in the 'voiceover' voice), and as part of that celebration, they have given us a whopper collection of classic nail colours that have defined fashion make-up through the decades. Can we have all nine please?

Whatever shade tickles your fancy, you're sure to find something in this range of Gel Shine Lacquers to suit. Among the colours you've got to choose from, we're loving:

• Patent Poppy - a very vibrant red with a slight hint of orange that's said to hark back to the 1950s when red was the ultimate pin-up colour of choice.

• Glazed Cobalt - rich with turquoise undertones and hints of purple, this celebrates the punk movement of the 1970s with a more wearable modern twist.

• Twinkling Pink - For those who can't bear to leave the 80s behind them (why would you, it was the BEST decade), this shade is the perfect throwback to an age when colour was everything.

• Sparkling Berry - Max Factor give the 90s a nod with their range of burgundy wine hues. This one's gorgeous and oh so glamorous.

But what about the quality of the polish itself, how does it serve our nails?

These polishes are a little bit different to what you'd normally find at the local drugstore in that they've got Bentonite Clay Gel in the mix which, they promise, delivers a high pigment. But what also sets these apart is their formula which stops the polish from moulding into the natural ridges of your nail, which gives it an altogether smoother and shinier finish. Shiny, it certainly is.

I've swatched these on the nails and the colour payoff is great - two coats and you have a really strong shade. And they are so shiny that all the magpies in the vicinity came to check them out. The only thing is that just don't photograph true to shade.

And lastly, what we're really looking for when we're shopping for nail polish, is something that won't chip off our nails as soon as we've got them fully painted. This polish boasts a 'special two-fold patented plasticizer' that adds 'flexibility to the nitrocellulose' within the formula. Or in plain English, it's pretty strong stuff that promises less chipping.

The nine shades are:

Vivid Vermillion, Patent Poppy, Radiant Ruby, Twinkling Pink, Sparkling Berry, Sheen Merlot, Glazed Cobalt, Gleaming Teal and Lacquered Violet.

Worth a go? With nine shades at €10.39 a pop, yes, we reckon so!

What shade would you go for? Do you like a bit of shine to the nail or are you a matte girl? Tell us in the comments!