Mani Review - Sally Hansen Miracle Gel

As a die hard nail polish girl, it may be hard to believe but I never jumped on the gel manicure bandwagon. I didn't even consider it as a wedding option. Back in the 90's I tried artificial nails. The process destroyed my nails and made them thin, lifeless and they peeled. I worked hard to get them back to a healthy state. I shunned getting a gel manicure for this reason and also the fact that I get bored with my nail polish color and like to change it often. Sometimes however, I need my polish to last through the work week. Several polish companies have released at home gel manicure sets but you still needed a light and they were difficult to remove. I wasn't on board yet. Then Revlon and Sally Hansen released no light gel manicure lines. You all know I'm a huge fan of Revlon. I decided to try the Sally Hansen version, since it was getting rave reviews.

I chose Camo Queen, I loved the idea of a light olive green polish and it was a perfect neutral for me. I got great coverage in just two coats. I could have gone with one but I always apply thin coats to speed the drying process. This was a late night polish job and I was worried I'd made a huge mistake. You know those times when you do a late night polish job and wake up with sheet marks on your freshly painted nails? Yep, that's usually me. Well, it didn't happen this time! The Sally Hansen Miracle Gel dried incredibly fast. It was still a little tacky when I went to bed. I was worried. The photo above is the next morning and it looked great. Now the real test. How long would it last?

Day 7 - My first chip.

Day 8 - Left hand

Day 8 - Right Hand

 I tried to wait as long as possible. I got my first chip on day 7. Then I did the dishes. For me that's the real test. I'm not big on wearing gloves to do dishes. I threw caution to the wind. The results are above. I have to say though, a week isn't bad. A manicure that lasts a week is a win. I'm betting it might have lasted even longer if I had added a coat of clear polish mid week but I wanted to give it a full and honest test.

The polish is on the more expensive side of drugstore polish ($8.99 per bottle and the drugstores near me). You can find combo packs that contain one bottle of polish (in a color) and one bottle of top coat for about $15.99. It's a bargain compared to the cost of a salon gel manicure. Plus, it won't destroy your nails and you can remove it with regular nail polish remover. Sally Hansen Miracle Gel polish comes in 47 shades. I think it's great and will be trying some other colors. My next trial will be testing out regular polish with the Miracle Gel top coat. Stay tuned.


Note: The opinions in this post are my own. I was not provided any compensation or product by Sally Hansen. I purchased these products to test them out and share my results with all of you.

DIY - Black and Gold Sunnies (nail polish diy #2)

Last year I did a little DIY sunglasses post using nail polish.  It's one of my most popular posts to date. After lots of requests, here is nail polish sunnies DIY, number two.  I spied these sunglasses and knew they were just begging for a DIY. I found a pair of black, plastic sunglasses and grabbed my gold nail polish.

photo credit: eatsleepwear

SUPPLIES

Sunglasses $9.99

Gold nail polish $.50 Full bottle $3 (already owned)

Clear nail polish $.50 Full bottle $5 (on sale but already owned)

Nail polish remover

Cotton swab

_________________

TOTAL $10.99 (with tons of polish left over)

Kenneth Cole Sunglasses       $90

SAVED $79.01!!

I've searched high and low and can't find the inspiration sunglasses anywhere.  Kenneth Cole sunglasses average about $90 a pair.  With a little nail polish and about an hour of your time, you can create your own!

I started by taping off the frame with blue painter's tape.  You could use any type of tape that you have, as long as it's not super sticky. I think painter's tape is best because it doesn't leave any residue.  After taping off the frame, I wiped the area I wanted to paint with a cotton swab dipped in nail polish remover.  This helps the polish to adhere better. Then I started painting.

I applied three very thin coats, using Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear polish in Golden-I. It has a great metallic sheen without being glittery.  Once I was happy with the coverage of the gold polish and it was dry to the touch, I painted two coats of clear polish and removed the tape.

I'm very happy with the result. My DIY sunnies look very similar to the higher end pair and they will definitely be coming with me on my beach trip next week.



inside shot



full sun shot (lipstick - Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids in Shocking Coral, Necklace - Target no longer available)

MonoChrome Polka Dot Mani

I can't resist doing Google searches for fun new manicure ideas and new manis are always popping up on my Pinterest feed. I've seen lots of polka dot manis lately and wanted to try out doing one with my silver Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen.  I bought this pen a while ago and frankly, I haven't used it very much. What did I have to lose? If it looked terrible there is always polish remover nearby.  A subtle design was needed, since I have to work with clients this week (government clients).  I decided to go for a  monochromatic look with gray and silver.

 I started with Revlon Colorstay basecoat.  Then added three coats of Maybelline Color Show in Audacious Asphalt.  After that dried I drew in the polka dots with the Sally Hansen pen.  My left hand definitely looks better than my right.  But the right is pretty good.  I'm sure I could get the same look with nail stamping but I don't have a great polka dot stamp. Then I finished with two coats of top coat.

Natural Light

Office Light

It turned out great and I love the monochromatic look.  It's fun but subtle. More colors are definitely in order.

Nail Art for the Time Crunched and Polish Challenged

There are lots of ladies out there who don't have time or the inclination to do nail art (including me, many days).  I have to admit that crystal and flower laden nails aren't for me. When I refer to nail art, I mean an interesting pattern or a little glitter.  There are products out there that can give you a nail art look easily.

Nail Polish Strips
Lots of companies are making nail polish strips but my personal favorite are by Sally Hansen.  They are easily found at your local drugstore, they come in tons of colors and patterns and they're affordable.  I've occasionally found coupons for them as well.  The bonus is that they last for about 7 days or more.

Incoco, Sephora, and Kiss also make strips. I've tried Incoco and Sephora.  In fact Incoco were the first strips I tried.  The Sephora strips are more like stickers. There were think and I didn't like them as much as the Incoco and Sally Hansen versions.

Magnetic Polish
One of the latest nail polish trends is magnetic polish.  The polish has metal particles in it. While the polish is wet, you hold the magnet cap over the polish and it creates a design.  The magnets with each brand have a different pattern (star, wave, stripes).  This post by Scrangie has details and shows the designs you can get with the China Glaze magnet.  The Sally Hansen version has a wave design.  The difference is the way you paint your nails.  You'll put a light base coat on you nails.  Then you'll need to paint a single nail and hold the magnet over the wet nail (without touching it). Then move onto the next nail.  The Sally Hansen version dried quickly.

Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color in Silver Elements

Glitter Polish
With a single swipe of glitter polish, you can turn a basic nail color into a fun, artsy manicure.  Almost every brand has glitter polish. I always go for the budget brands like Wet 'n Wild. They have lots of options and the polish costs 99 cents to $1.99 per bottle.

Spoiled by Wet n' Wild - Jewelry Heist over Show Me Some Skin

These are my quick ways to get a better than basic manicure without spending tons of time.  Do you have any quick manicure tricks?

Have a great Tuesday!

Lips and Nails - Fun Spring Colors

Bright lip and nail colors can get me through the dark days of winter.  Since we haven't had much winter to speak of here in DC and this week it's in the 80's, I am inspired to share my lip and nail picks for the spring.  With a mix of brights and pastels, there is something for everyone.

Lips

 A bold lip color can really change up your look.  It can make a basic outfit seem special.  The perfect color can even brighten your face. A pretty pink looks great on every skin tone.  Tinted lip balm, like the one below from Mary Kay, can be worn sheer or built up for a more opaque look. 

Mary Kay NouriShine Plus Lip Gloss - Rock 'n Red

Mary Kay Tinted Lip Balm (spf 15) - Poppy

Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Color - Coral Crush

Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Color - Fuchsia Fever

Nails

I love these colors for nails or toes.  They are fun and a great way to infuse a bit of color into your look. For spring I'm loving bright pinks, blues, and corals as well as a range of pastel colors.

Revlon ColorStay - Rich Raspberry

OPI - Fly

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear - Mint Sorbet (you might recognize this shade from my sunnies DIY)

essie - A Crewed Interest

Wet 'n Wild Spoiled - Lox-y Lady (sold exclusively at CVS)

Pretty Kitty Update

It's day 8 of my Sally Hansen Nail Polish Strips manicure.  Today is the first day that I've seen noticeable chips. I had a very tiny chip a few days in but it wasn't noticeable at all. Last night I washed dishes and had to clear out a room in our basement for painting purposes.  I really believe the dish washing was the kicker.  The water and heat really messed with the polish.

Many times before I have spent $15 and up on a salon manicure, only to have it chip 2 days later.  This mani lasted a full 7 days. I'm happy and think that this product is definitely worth the money. I love the way my nails looked and got lots of compliments. It was a simple product to use and it lasted a long time. I highly recommend, Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips.

If you try them yourself, let me know how they work out.

Pretty Kitty

I have loved nail polish strips for a long time. A couple of years ago I stumbled across the Incoco brand. At the time they had some cool colors but no patterns. Sephora has a line but I think their strips are too thick. This year Sally Hansen came out with their version which included patterns an solids. I chose the leopard print, Kitty Kitty. My next choice will be Misbehaved. The fishnet pattern is so cool.

They are easy to apply and long lasting. The only downfall is the price. The $8 - $12 per package is a little steep for a home manicure. They last for about a week (or more) which helps with the cost. My salon manis usually only last a couple days. So I'm saving money with polish strips.

The kit comes with 16 strips, an orange stick, a nail file buffer and instructions. I have small nails and I was able to fit my nails or trim the strip to fit.

There are a few simple steps to application:

1. Select a strip for each nail.
2. Using the file, shape and buff each nail.
3. Clean your nails using polish remover.
4. Remove the protective coating from the strip and press on your nail.
5. Fold the strip over the end of your nail and trim by filing in a downward motion.
6. Repeat with each nail.

PROS

• Easy to apply.
• No drying time.
• Long lasting.

CONS

• Cost
• Limited solid shades

I have found coupons in the past, which help with the cost. I've gotten them from magazines and through Google searches. The Incoco brand has tons of solid shades. They are hard to find in stores but can be ordered. I think I will just save polish strips for manicures when I want a fun pattern.

I love the results. Have you ever used polish strips? If not, will you try them?

Frugal Fashion Fridays - Drugstore Finds

This is the beauty edition of Frugal Fashion Friday.  You don't need to spend a fortune for great beauty products.  These items can be found at your local neighborhood drugstore. They will give you lots of value for your money. These are products I actually use myself. I'd never recommend something to you that I didn't love.  Some of them may surprise you a little.

$11

I've sung the praises of Neutrogena Liquid moisturizer with SPF before.  Many lotions only contain SPF of 15 or 25, even though most dermatologists recommend much higher.  Using SPF is key to slowing down those wrinkles even on days when you are in the office and not at the beach.  This one is lightweight and not greasy, even under makeup.

$4

I am the queen of polish smudging.  I have serious trouble sitting still long enough for my polish to dry. Sally Hansen Insta-Dri has saved me more times than I can count. They have a good range of colors from neutrals to brights and they only take a few minutes to dry!

$10

One of my hard and fast beauty rules is that I remove my makeup every night before bed.  These little beauties, RoC Daily Resurfacing Disks are in my arsenal.  They remove all of my makeup, moisturize and exfoliate. I love the little pocket for your fingers and the fact that the pad contains a two step process in one little applicator.

$6

I've tried lots of lipsticks, in fact, I'm a bit of lip color junkie.  If lipstick has a funny smell or taste then I don't care how great the color is, I won't wear it, ever.  Revlon Colorburst Lipstick has a pretty range of colors for all skin tones, color you can layer, creamy texture, and good smell and taste. Candy Pink is my favorite for spring and summer.

$2.99

I use Tea Tree Oil for everything from rough elbows and heels to cuticles and fly-aways. There are a ton of different brands but I get this one at CVS for less than $3.

$8

I've been using Just for Men Mustache & Beard hair color to touch up my roots and grays for years.  A great hairstylist turned me on to it before Clairol ever started selling root touch up. The reason I love this brand and still use it for touch ups is that you can mix just a small amount at a time to get only a few places.  It lasts through several applications, depending on how much you use and it fades gradually. The cost per application is only about $2.  I'm sure this one is a shocker to you. It's really the best product I've found for a super quick touch up on my temples or right at my part. I don't use it for full root application but it's so easy for instant color. I also love a product called Colormark but it washes out after one shampoo.

There are so many great beauty buys to be found at your local drugstore.  Do you have favorites?  Leave me comment and tell me about them.