You can now buy a FELT-TIP nail varnish pen and we’re living

Anyone that says that "painting nails is a breeze" is an absolute liar and phoney and we will be suing. Everyone knows that painting one's nails is a task and a half. You have to dedicate a whole afternoon to prepping, painting, removing polish that got on your cuticles, (re-painting because you accidentally took off the polish on your nail with the remover), waiting for your nails to dry, and then smudging them once you're done because you were too impatient to wait.

You'll be happy to know that the traumatic days of painting your nails are over because *gasp* felt-tip nail varnish pens exist. 😱

If you haven't already seen celebs like Chloe Burrows and The Kardashians raving about it on Instagram, then we introduce you to the colourful and sassy nail care brand, Candy Coat. Created in East London to get "Insta-worthy nails at home", you'll often find Candy Coat tagged in celebs' posts such as Cardi B, Rihanna and Dua Lipa for its vibrant nail shades and designs on sets of music videos and photo shoots.

The best thing about Candy Coat, and the reason it seems like the celebs keep coming back for more, is its punchy bright gel colours (1200 shades to be exact). The colours are brighter than our futures. But does its new felt tip nail varnish pen live up to the successes of the past? Does it make the process of painting one's nails easier? I took on the task of testing out their new range, because if this works... it's a game-changer.

Candy Coat's felt tip nail varnish pen review: does it really work?

According to Candy Coat's Instagram page, using the felt tip pen means you can get your nails completely done and dry in 20 minutes. Just hearing that made my ears prick up, and I had to give it a go. 20 minutes?! I don't know about you, but I take an hour just trying to paint the polish on without any streaks...

Candy Coat describes the nail pens, officially called the "Candy Stix Gel Polish Collection" as "a range of gorgeous and vibrant colours. It features no base and no top - simply twist and paint. Inspired by felt tip pens, it’s a four-minute gel manicure with a 3-in-1 unique, no-wipe formula. Super easy to use, this UV LED Gel Colouring Pen features a chip-free formula and lasts two weeks+."

Starting off I grabbed a few of my Candy Stix pens, a gel LED light and... that's it. Yes, Candy Coat guarantees that with their felt-tip nail varnish pen, you don't need a base or top coat. Count me in, ain't nobody got time for a base coat to dry. I've got things to do - like watch Netflix and eat mini Battenburg cakes.

Ok, a warning - you will twist for ages wondering when the polish is going to emerge from the tip of the pen, and then...it'll all come pouring out at once and you'll be grabbing tissues and hoping that you can rub it off your very expensive wooden table. At least, that's what happened to me. For the future, defo twist slowly and have a tissue nearby so you can rub any excess off.

Then, all that was left to do was apply the felt tip to my nails, and I was surprised about how easy it was. I felt like I was back in primary school where I used to colour in my nails with felt tips to feel extra grown up. I could tell, though, that this could definitely take practice to master. Most likely, your first attempt will make you want to cry. But oh my goodness, it was so quick to do. Instead of struggling to hold the top brush of a nail polish bottle, being able to hold an ergonomic thing like a pen made my hands less shaky, and overall improved my confidence and speed.

From my first attempts, you can see the results were a bit rough. The best performing colours were the pastel shades, such as No.432 (light purple) on the right. The bold art-pop colours on the left were a little disappointing. For something that is marketed towards taking little time to apply, it would seem some colours may take a while to layer up. However, I was super happy with the pastel colours. After putting my hands under the UV lamp for 90 seconds, they were bone. dry. Impressive stuff.

Of course, this quick application isn't going to be salon-worthy, professional work. If one was to look close up, the formula is a little streaky. Regardless, I am so beyond excited to have this in my arsenal. Why? Well, if I decide I'm going out one night, but have bare nails - I can wack two coats of this bad boy on, put my hand under the UV lamp for 90 seconds, and I'm ready to go out the door. Are you kidding? This is what dreams are made of.

If I was planning to go out on the town in the past, I'd have to plan a nail painting afternoon two or three days in advance. If you're worried about the potential for small streaks, well... who's going to be looking at the microscopic details of your nails when you're out drinking and dancing? All they'll see are your bright beautiful nails glistening under the disco ball...(yes, I only go on 80s-themed nights out, leave me alone.)

Summary: are Candy Stix's felt tip nail varnish pens worth the hype?

Would I say the Candy Stix felt-tip nail polish pen is game-changing? Yes, but only certain more pastel-based formulas. Things to bear in mind - my nails are stubby and misshapen, and my therapist already knows my pain with that. These felt tip pen results would undoubtedly look much better on longer, more oval-shaped nails. The pen will glide better over the surface. Secondly, remember that due to these being gel polishes, you will need a lamp to get those quick results. It'll take a bit of effort to remove the polish once you're done- the typical gel aluminium foil process.

Overall, I think for only £6, it's totally worth grabbing a couple of your favourite shades. Stash them in your bag for any future bare nail emergencies.