Nail Polish Review: Sally Hansen Salon Effects

A few days ago I decided to purchase some of the much-discussed-and-reviewed Sally Hansen Salon Effects nail polish strips. They are essentially nail polish stickers than you apply to clean, buffed nails; file off the excess from the ends and you have (or are supposed to have) nicely polished nails for "up to 10 days".

I applied them on Friday night after a jaunt to Target with the hubs. They were $8.50 which I think is cheaper than what I was expecting? For some reason I had $10 in my head. I asked him which pattern he liked and he picked out 'Girl Flower', a very floral very retro looking pattern - fun for Spring. I had my eye on 'Misbehaved' or 'Check It Out' but ... there's always next time (check out the link above to see all the available colors and patterns).

The application was simple enough. I prepped my nails (aka, trimmed and filed) and cleaned up my cuticles with the orange stick that was included in the package. Then I buffed the surface of my nails with the tiny file (also included), applied a bit of polish remover which was recommended in the instructions (apparently this helps the polish adhere better and stay put longer).

I held the strips up to my nails to pick out which sizes were best ... there are a bunch of sizes so pretty much every nail will have a (nearly) perfectly-matched strip of nail polish. Then you just pull off the protective cover, then the backing and carefully stick the polish onto your nail. From how I understood the instructions, you are supposed to use a new strip for every nail. But the length of the strips was enough for me to use one strip for two nails: one for both index fingers, another for both middle fingers and so on. I have pretty short nailbeds. ;) For someone with longer nailbeds or who likes to grow their nails out, one strip per nail would work.

Here is a photo of my nails on Friday night and then a couple from this morning ... they look just about the same, huh?



just ignore my sad, dry skin. hah! ;))



The polish has stayed on without chipping or scratching after I've showered, washed dishes and even deadheaded my plants in the backyard. I decided on Sunday to apply a layer of regular top coat just to give it some extra strength. This is not necessary though since the polish already has a sheen to it.

Overall I'm pleased with this product - but I still have 7 days to go!

We'll see how it holds up.

Let me know:

Have you used Salon Effects?

What are your thoughts?

 

PS - Here is my new favorite color of nail polish. It's called 'Moss' by SpaRitual and I found it at Aveda this weekend when I went for my haircut. I have it on my toes right now - awesome for Spring! Plus all these pastel colors seem to be 'in' right now so there is a nice selection of colors like this one as well as light pinks, blues, yellows and lavendars.

Good Things for February

Here again is my monthly edition of the good things list: just a few things I've encountered - products, foods, experiences - that stuck out and that I feel are worth passing on to my faithful 5 (blog followers, that is).

1. Tree Hut brand Sugar Scrubs. I recently found these for under $6 at Wal Mart. A quick Google search showed that most places sell them for the $6-7 range so I think this is pretty good. I got the Brazilian Nut (omg, rich, nutty, warm ... like a cup of mocha latte for your skin) and the Coconut Lime; my 'signature fragrance' for the Spring and Summer is Coconut Lime Verbena from B&BW and Kevin loves it so that's definitely a factor. This scrub is like that, but slightly milder and even more tropical. Tree Hut puts lots of natural oils in their products and I think this helps the whole 'tropical paradise' image that happens whenever you twist off the cap. Highly recommend.

2. Freeman Beauty GoodStuff Organics Foot Balm. I recently got this for about $2 - since I've had such a great experience with their hand lotion, I thought I would give it a whirl. This balm has a nice mild fragrance (shea butter and lemongrass) and is very thick to nourish dry, calloused feet. A great way to moisturize overnight during the dry Winter months: just massage onto your feet (or preferably, have a generous spouse do this for you!) and cover with thick socks overnight.

 3. Bolthouse Farms 100% Carrot Juice. This save a lot of time; I'm not sure how much money it saves - each bottle is $3-5 depending on where you shop. But it's definitely easier than juicing pounds of carrots at home and is SO delicious. It's the best carrot juice I've had. They use baby carrots so it's extra sweet. It's a great, filling drink as an in-between-meal ... plus it has a lot of great nutrients like potassium and Vitamins A and C. (www.bolthousefarms.com)




4. The Aveda Institute of Dallas. This is where I got my most recent haircut and I couldn't be more pleased. I previously worked with one of the very talented students here and she is the stylist who gave me my great new hairstyle. Check out her up-and-coming website here as well as her articles in the Dallas Examiner. Their pricing is incredibly competitive, their salon very profession and spa-like, their staff friendly and welcoming, and their service A+. I have finally found a salon I'm happy to visit at a price I can afford and not feel like I'm getting ripped off or worry I'll have to live with a horrible haircut that I paid ENTIRELY too much for. Check them out, and ask for Anita while you're at it.

5. High-waisted trousers from Urban Outfitters. I have recently revolted (if only temporarily) from low-rise pants. I am sick of the way they feel, especially for work pants. I'm sick of them hitting in just the wrong spot and constricting and pinching. If my weight changes by 2 pounds, they no longer fit me. UNacceptable. So I recently discovered some high-waisted pants (Kevin calls them Grandma pants but I ignore him) from Urban Outfitters. Their apparel is not especially economical but they often have some great items on super sale - like pants that are usually $60 or $80 on sale for $10 or $20. I got this pair by Kimchi Blue and this pair by Pins and Needles (pictured at right) and am happy with them both.

I don't have tiny calves like the models (I'll go ahead and blame the 3 years of Irish dancing that bulked up my leg muscles, even if that's not 100% true ;) so the pants are not quite so loose at the hems ... but they are still loose enough and very comfortable all around. I usually wear these pants with a blouse (silky materials work well) or camisole tucked in to show off the cute tie-waists and then wear a cardigan or a blazer over that. Basic; easy; comfortable.

My style is a very dynamic and evolving creature and I try to just go with the flow - whatever my 'style brain' likes I will try it and experiment and see if it works for me. Sure I don't want to look like a grandma - I'm not even 30 - but I want to be comfortable. And I think there is room for comfort and a bit of vintage charm while still looking like a 20-something. Yes? Apparently people who shop Urban Outfitters apparel department agree. ;)