My FIRST Review

I mentioned in my April Favorites how I went my whole first month of blogging without a single review - ludicrous, insanity, preposterous!

So here is my first review...keep in mind it's quite simple but also my first go at this!

SALLY HANSEN SALON EFFECTS - REAL NAIL POLISH STRIPS

(website)

I saw these in a magazine back in February and "had to have them" immediately. When I went to my local Target, they had a very limited selection left and when I went over to the local CVS, they had one decent choice so I snagged it. Since then, I've tried four different kinds and here's what I think.

I am pretty decent when it comes to painting my nails, but I'm also extremely lazy. These little bad boys are so simple to apply, it's for the lazy bitch in us who still wants to feel pretty! Here are some photos (taken from the bberry so the quality is "meh") to show you some of the "shades" I bought.

The "shades" are Misbehaved, Girl Flower, and Laced Up. These are in the order of when I wore them, too! Again, sorry my phone can't focus on close-up photos, but you get the idea!

I also bought the "Glitz Blitz" (gold glitter) and decided, on a whim, to try them out on my toes. GENIUS! It only takes three strips TOTAL to cover an entire foot (if you have really small piggies like myself, anyways). I was able to go back and use the other packet again on my toes and they have now lasted chip-free for two weeks - that's well past the "up to 10 days" that the package claims, so kudos to Sally Hansen! I also have the animal print called "Kitty, Kitty" but haven't used it yet, so in all, I've tried/purchased 5 of the 24 - gotta catch 'em all (I hope at least one person gets that reference!)

Simple Steps:
1. Wash your hands & run nail polish remover over each nail. Let dry.
2. Take the clear cover off. Apply strip to the nail.
3. Edge around the nail with the soft pink edge of the file included. (Be sure to do this enough so it easily pulls away from the nail - 3 to 4 runs of the file worked best for me.)
4. Pull the "excess" slowly away from your nail.
5. Smooth over your nail with your finger to flatten it.
(OPTIONAL) Apply top coat once all fingers are complete.

POSITIVES:
*They last for as long as the package says, if not longer - I got sick and wanted something new sooner than the actual 10 days, but they definitely do have staying power. Most of my manicures chip after only 4 days, and these never did for over a week.
*They're so FUN! They add so much flair to such a small portion of your body (that sounds awkward?! hah), so it's fun to pick a bold color/print knowing you can take them off and reapply again.
*They're as cheap as $8.50 (about the price of Essie or OPI) and give such a better effect than a normal monotone color polish - at least in my opinion!
*They can be found relatively anywhere. I have found them at Ulta, Target, CVS, Walgreens, and even Walmart. They are anywhere other nail polish is sold. They can go up to $9.99 depending on where you buy them, though, so if you're worried about price, go to Target or Walmart.
*There is no awkward hand motions for 45 minutes waiting for them to dry (you ALL know what I mean!) - they really are ready to go once you apply them, so the whole process takes less than 10 minutes. I actually showered and dried my hair after applying them the first time and my nail strips weren't affected at all.
*They really DO look like polish (They even smell like polish when you open the air-tight packaging). I felt a bit childish saying "uhh, they're strips" like those nail art strips you find next to the Lipsmackers for 10 year olds, but these look so much like the high-quality MINX manicure at such a smaller price; it looks professional and certainly not like you borrowed your little sister's nail kit.

DOWNSIDES:
*If you try to "stretch" them like it says you can, be careful! They do not have nearly as much give as they may appear to have, so it's better to just try to go "up a size" in the strips than to stretch it out.
*I have never used all of the strips. I'm usually left with 3 or 4 and can't really do anything with them. This makes the price seem a bit overzealous. NOTE: This happens even more so when you use them on your toes. Word to the wise...only open ONE packet when doing your toes and keep the other packet closed for the next go round. Once you open them, the strips dry out a bit (just like an open polish container would!), so they should be used immediately after opening or they won't stick nearly as well (learned that the hard way).
*Not the easiest to remove; definitely soak the fingers with remover before trying to wipe them away. They "peel" easier once you have remover on them though, so although it creates a bit of a mess, it's a simpler method.

BOTTOM LINE:
BUY! They are worth the $8.50 to $10 because they are so  fun! I got some many compliments on them. I still want to try the color that looks like denim ("Skinny Jeans") and the black and white version of the floral print ("Cut It Out"), because the colorful floral print was fun but a bit too young looking for me. My favorite is still "Laced Up" because it has such a gorgeous effect.

Have you tried these before? I have seen them in stock much more as of late than I did earlier in the year when I first bought Misbehaved. Try them out and let me know if you agree with my review!