Manicure Monday: Graphic Berry

There's something really magical and autumnal about a deep, rich berry on your nails for September, and let's be honest, if you're going to do it properly then you might as well hand the reigns over to Dior...

Normal service can now resume with regards to Manicure Mondays following last week when I was too ill to even contemplate painting my nails and sorting my manicure out. Sorry for the break with no warning, but I felt it was for the best!

This week I settled on the beautiful Graphic Berry from Dior. It's a deep berry that looks red in certain lights but has a subtly bright, playful overtone that lifts it firmly into autumn and stops it being too dark and serious.

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.pinterest.com)

With it being Dior it is a little on the pricey side at around £18 a bottle, but I was lucky enough to be given this as a birthday present last year. You can find it at Harrods here, and I'd definitely say that this is either a cheeky pay-day/student loan treat or best placed on a Christmas/birthday list! The formula is fantastic, and it glides on neatly with two coats, although if you don't rush it would probably look just as good - albeit a little less deep - with just one. As I found with Chanel, any imperfections can be patted out while the varnish is tacky, and with a simple slick of top coat the overall effect is glossy and extremely classy.

I love, love, love this colour! It also feels like such a luxury to wear this, both concerning the shade and the brand. Graphic Berry is perfect for this season and is a great transition from the bright pinks of the summer to the upcoming dark purples seen in winter.

I've also come to the decision that long, square nails really aren't for me: I found them super impractical, particularly as I do a lot of baking, so I caved this week and returned to short, rounded nails. I hate the idea of forgoing fashion for comfort and practicality, but in this instance it felt like the only viable option!

So what do you think of Graphic Berry? Let me know in the comments below or drop me a tweet! I'd also love to know if you could recommend any other budget-friendly berry shades? I'd like to add some to my collection and preferably not go into a financial Dunkirk in the process...