Sally Hansen Salon Effects - Sweet Tartan

Sally Hansen Salon Effects - Spring Fever

My nails are ready for summer! Love these nail strips, as I love all nail strips.

These were really easy to apply and the staying power is awesome. I have a cut on my finger and applied a band aid a little too soon after applying these strips. The strip pulled up when I pulled the band aid off, but I simply pressed it back down and it has survived every band aid since :)

Sally Hansen Salon Effects - Tattoo Much

So I'm kind of obsessed with theses strips. They are easy to apply, look adorable, and wear like steel.

Tattoo Much is a great pattern, but I found some of the cutest parts of the print toward the middle of the strip which wouldn't reach my nail. To fix this, I wound up obsessively trimming the strips so I could have almost every piece of this print on one nail or another. The results are not perfect, but I am definitely satisfied.

I also cut each strip in half so I could use one pack for both hands (leaving the other pack for a second application). I was worried this would look weird with this pattern since half the strips are technically upside down, but it is not noticeable at all.

Here's a sealed pack so you can see the full design:

And now my nails! 

Sally Hansen Salon Effects in Kitty Kitty (Leopard) - 9 Days Later

When I originally applied these I was very paranoid about their staying power. I did put on a coat of Seche Vite to help them last. Well 9 days later I am extremely impressed. There are a few nicks on the tips of my nails, but these have held up far better than pretty much any other polish I've used.

The first few days I've had them on I was really careful not to do anything to cause my nails distress (like picking open boxes at my job). Lately I've been anything but cautious, and while my tips are getting slightly banged up my nails actually feel stronger than when I wear regular polish (my nails are prone to breaking and peeling and these stickers seem to be holding things together). As you can see in the photos, the biggest issue is new nail growth as there is no way to fill these in. I'm sure this can be improved by pushing your cuticles back when applying them, which is something I completely ignored.

Sally Hansen Sally Effects - Kitty, Kitty (Leopard)

Oh Em Gee people!

I have been eyeing Sally Hansen's line of adhesive polish strips for a while, but $10 a pop is a lot to ask for one mani.  I had to try them though, so I purchased a Leopard print box when they popped up at my local CVS. I immediately stored them away for a special occasion, but not before opening them up and poking around. Well it turns out these things dry out, so I basically ruined the pack I opened. Lucky for me, the other half was still sealed (they come with two packs, one for each hand). I was able to cut them in half and make it work, which is kind of awesome cause now I know one box can get me 2 mani's.

Application was easy! These will be a breeze to apply if you follow the directions and use them as they are made to be used. If you plan on cutting them up to make the pack go further, you have to peel the top layer of clear off BEFORE you cut them (it'll be much harder to do after).

So the steps would be:

1) Peel off top clear layer
2) Cut strip in half (or to desired shape/size)
3) Peel off bottom layer
4) Place on nail

A coworker of mine cuts off the excess and uses them on her toes for an awesome mani-pedi. I know that sounds like a hassle, but after working with a pack I can say they are pretty easy to cut up and use as you see fit.

And now for photos! Sorry they are a bit blurry.

Guest Blogger: Krista's take on fast dry top coats

Good news polish friends! Today I have a guest blog post from my friend Krista, who I recently found out is quite a lacquer lover. She expertly reviews various quick dry top coats. As someone who worships the shrine of Seche Vite, it's nice to know there are other options out there. 


Confessions of a Perpetual Manicure Ruiner, OR the Never-Ending Quest for the Perfect Top Coat...

In an effort to be more budget-conscious, I’ve recently forgone professional manicures in favor of doing my own nails at home.  In addition to saving me about $12 plus tip per manicure, this move has several collateral benefits.  One, I can justify my insatiable need to buy bottles of nail polish.  Two, I can satisfy my (self-diagnosed) nail polish ADD without feeling guilty about ruining a pro paint job.  And three, and probably most important of all, I spare myself the inevitable frustration of doling out cash right before chipping/smudging my nails 3 seconds after I walk out of the nail salon.  If there was an award for Worst Maintenance of a Professional Manicure, I’d win, hands down.

This leads me to an important mission, however - finding the perfect quick-drying (because I am NOT a patient person), chip-resistant, SHINY topcoat (not into the whole matte finish look, sorry).  To date, I’ve yet to find my holy grail top coat, the one that will give me at least 5 days of shiny, chipless nails.

In my quest to find the perfect top coat, I’ve conducted both online and hands-on (haha, pun intended) research.

Several top coats make repeat appearances among the beauty bloggers and YouTube gurus that I follow, the most popular definitely being Seche Vite ($8, available at CVS, Ricky’s NYC, and other beauty/drugstores).  My new favorite spa in Hoboken (and the last place where I went for a professional manicure) uses this as their house top coat, and I have to say I was impressed with the thickness and chip-resistance of Seche Vite.  However, online reviewers have often complained of shrinkage and the smell of the top coat.

In the past, I’ve found that good old-fashioned Sally Hansen Hard as Nails (you know, the inexpensive clear top coat in the extremely dated-looking bottle) is extremely chip-resistant.  (Although, interestingly enough, I’ve found that when I use this as a base coat, my nails chip the next day.)

Recently, I’ve been using Essie Good to Go! ($8), which is basically Essie’s version of Seche Vite - a thick, shiny, quick drying top coat.  So far, I’m pretty impressed.  I have noticed a tiny bit of shrinkage, but I’ll take shrinkage over ginormous chips any day.  Also, it suffers from a little bit of an obnoxious odor similar to Seche Vite, but once the nails are dry, it’s not noticeable.  Good to Go! is extremely quick drying, which I love - it means I can paint my nails before bed without worrying about waking up with sheet marks and smudges on the surface of my nails.  I purchased my bottle from Apothica.com, but it’s also available at Target, Ricky’s, and online retailers.

One of my favorite YouTubers, missglamorazzi, raves about Sally Hansen Mega Shine Topcoat ($8), which she strongly prefers over Seche Vite.  It was on my list of products to try out for awhile, when I happened to find it in my local Bed Bath & Beyond for way less than it costs at Target and CVS.  Thanks to my endless supply of BB&B coupons, I ended up paying only $3.93!  (Oh, how I love a bargain).  I used it that night, and my manicure lasted 4 days with VERY minor chippage on my right hand (which is my dominant hand, so no suprise there).  It probably would have lasted even longer, but I got bored with my nail color and had to change it, so a longer experiment will have to be conducted at a later date.

What’s your go-to top coat?

Sally Hansen - Lime Lights over China Glaze - For Audrey

Lime Lights is an iridescent mint green. It's very sheer on it's own, but quite magical as a top coat. Here it is over For Audrey - it gives it an awesome pearlized finish. I'm also excited to try this one over some darker colors.

July 4th Mani

Hello! So I wanted to do something festive for the fourth. I was going to do red white and blue skittles nails, but I got brave and delved into the world of nail art. I then realized I have no patience for nail art, as waiting the necessary time for each component to dry was nearly impossible for me. The outcome was a little messy, but festive nonetheless.

OPI - Absolutely Alice
Milani - Ruby Jewels
Sally Hansen Nail Marker in White (which cracked and bubbled, most likely due to the fact that I used it on wet polish and then went over it with a top coat while still wet).

Blurry photos to hide my messiness :D