Review: Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips

I fail at nails. You should already know that by now since I hardly ever talk about nails unless I've had them done by someone else or they smell good.

To aid helpless people like me, Sally Hansen has come up with a nail color application system that's so foolproof that even guys can do it!

Can the Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips substitute the meticulous work of nail-art?

If you haven't figured out what these nail strips are, they are basically stick-on nail polish. Literally. The kit comes with two sets of 8 strips in different sizes. They've also included a mini nail buffer and orange stick. Oh, and the much important step-by-step instruction manual.

I won't be showing how I applied the strips because my pictures turned out crap with my unskillful hands but the manual explains the steps well enough. Basically you just peel off the strip, stick it onto your nail and remove any excess that hangs off your nail. It's really that simple.

With 16 strips (6 strips extra for clumsies), one box is only for one-time use but since I kept my nail short, I managed to use one strip for two nails! Which explains the weird sizing on some of my fingers.

The manual says that the strip stretches but from my experience, it doesn't really. Thankfully, the design that I got was "Skinny Jeans" so the tearing of the strip worked it the design's favor to create a "rip" in the jeans.

However, "Skinny Jeans" probably wouldn't have been my design of choice because the print looks rather "fake". It doesn't look like anything a nail artist would create and the print's rather "digitalized" if you catch my drift.

They would've passed the test if I could actually fool people into thinking that I really got my nails done but even a guy managed to point out that my nails were stuck on. They looked very obviously like stickers! *sighs* The other designs I've seen online look more promising such as Misbehaved and the glitter shades (reviewd by All Lacquered Up). Kitty Kitty worn by MyWomenStuff looks pretty good too! More "drawn", at least.



Despite the box saying that the strips would last 10 days, it started to chip on me on the 4th day. But then again, I was not at all careful with my hands. Since the strips are actual nail polish and not mere stickers, they can be removed with a nail polish removal but you may need to put in some elbow grease.

Though it may cost you a slightly less to have Salon Effects without actually having to visit a salon, the strips are not the best substitute for a solid manicure. However, if you're looking to dress up your nails fast and without downtime (the strips dries immediately), this is a good way to go.

Retails for RM45.90 at Guardian, Parkson, SaSa and Caring Pharmacy.

*The kit was provided by Tongue in Chic for the purpose of review.