Today I want to give my full review of Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Polish strips. These strips are very much like celebrity favorite Minx nails. Same idea, same concept...but....cheaper.
I've actually had Minx nails done once and did a full review on those. You can check that HERE to compare and contrast.
Read on to see how these measured up!
The Claim:
Real Nail Polish strips, lasts up to 10 days, No dry time, peel and apply, remove with nail polish remover.
The Truth:
These babies are GREAT!! I've been singing their praises since I applied them (and mind you I've gotten so many compliments from friends and total strangers who love them). They are super easy to apply and easy to remove. The best thing about these though...they are GOOD quality and they last a loooooong time. At the time of this review, I'm on Day 10 of wear and there is only minimal chipping. I can still go a few more days, but I'm ready for a change. Before we get to the pics let's talk application...
Application Tips:
- Each package comes with 16 strips. Each box is designed to give you one full application for 10 fingers (or 10 toes). You have 8 different sizes to choose from, which makes it easy for you to find a size that fits each finger on each hand.
- Find your size for each finger (if you find that you can't find a "perfect" match for a nail, go the size larger. Once you apply you can remove the excess strip around your nail to get a perfect fit.
- Important: Clean each nail thoroughly and wipe down with acetone (I used pure acetone to wipe my nails off.). These things don't mix well with oil so you want to make sure you have all oil REMOVED before applying the strips.
- I definitely think you can follow the easy step instructions for applying these and you will be fine. That's basically what I did, however, I added in a step or two because I wanted to get the best application as possible. These are very much like Minx strips (which I've had done) and I know that when they are warmed, they stretch and bend a bit better...almost like they melt onto the nail. So I decided to warm each strip a bit.
- Caution: If you decide to warm them like I did, please be careful not to overheat them. Also, be careful once you stretch and apply them over your nail after warming...they will tear easily if you aren't careful. I actually have a small tear in my pinkie nail from stretching on application (not sure if you can see on the photos below...the girl flower design is very forgiving with mistakes..which is why I opted not to fix the mistake. You can't really tell unless you look closely lol). So just be mindful of that before you follow me on this path (LOL!).
- I used a blow dryer to heat each strip (warm setting on high. or hot setting on low). Once I peeled the strip from the backing, I positioned it a few inches from the blow dryer heat for a few seconds MAX.
- I then applied the strip to my nail starting at the base of my cuticle and stretching it down the entire nail, pressing it firmly as I stretched (this is why you don't want to overheat the strip because it can tear on application if its too soft).
- I wrapped the strip over my nail tip and then used the included filing stick to remove the excess (basically it peels it away).
- Once the strip was on the nail I used my finger to press it down a bit more all over...making sure there were no bubbles or creases.
- I repeated this for each nail.
- Once they were all done, I applied a thin coat of Out the Door quick dry topcoat to each nail. Now, you don't have to do this as the nail strips already have a gloss shine to them. But I wanted a bit more oomph. And I wanted to seal the nails a bit more. Did I mention that I'm sometimes anal? :-)
Pics: I chose the Girl Flower design which was the most similar to the Flower Power Minx I got before (for comparison). I loved them! They are really fun and unique and I got so many compliments on them. Folks couldn't believe they were Sally Hansen strips and I did them myself!
Day 1 after application:
On Day 10:
As you can see there's a couple chips here and there at the tips of my nails but that's about it. No lifting. And you can see my nail "new growth" near my cuticle (the mini "tear" on my pinkie was there from the beginning. As I mentioned earlier).
Pros:
- Top pro is definitely the longevity you get with these. If you are a nail fanatic, I think our biggest gripes are polishes that chip too quickly. These last 10+ days like the claim!
- Quick and easy to apply! No drying time
- Cost is great! About $10.99! When you compare that to a Minx application which can run you from $40-$60 (I paid $65 a year ago for my Minx manicure..and it lasted 4 days.)...this is a great deal.
- Lots of styles and designs to choose from.
- Can be used on your fingers or toes
- Easy to remove
- If you're not really into having designs on all your fingers, you can just do one nail which would also give you a lot of options for using one pack over time. ;-)
Cons:
- The really cute designs are hard to find! Check your local CVS and Walgreens
Recommendation:
I'm a huge fan! I would definitely suggest you try these if you like fun and different colors and designs and/or if you're a nail fanatic like myself. It's something different to add to your nail collection and it will give you a break from regular nail polish. Also, these are great if you want to "spice" up your nails for a special event.
Overall Score: 5 out of 5
Have you tried these? Let me know what you think!
Later, beauties!
M.
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