This is a GREAT product!! I followed the directions to the letter, but I did do two things differently. First, I took the advice of someone and put two coats of a matching color underneath, so if some of it pealed or scraped off in the week, it wouldn't be noticed. I used a good quality brand (OPI). Secondly I used a clean over coat to help the decal not get scraped off easily. This has enabled my decal to last over a week! I'm hard on my nails. I clean, cook, bake, clean some more and I even painted my deck with this on and it's still not chipped, scraped or pealed off!
I've gotten many compliments on my nails and I definitely plan on getting more patterns!
Tips:
If you clean your nails thoroughly first with alcohol or nail polish remover, they should stay on better. Also, if you use a clear top coat over it, it makes it last for a week or more. If you're having trouble taking it off, you can soak a cotton ball and let it sit on your nail for 15-30 seconds and then rub it off. It should come right off :)
If you decide to do what I did and use a matching color underneath, make sure you use a quality nail polish. Paint one or two coats on and let your nails dry thoroughly. Then apply the nail decal as directed. Smooth it out and scrape off excess, then put clear over coat on and let dry.
Also, when applying don't cut them to fit your nail. Apply it and then pull down off the nail it tears to the shape of your nail. I use the rest on another nail, since mine aren't that long. I will use a tooth pick or nail stick to scrape off any excess and then file some of the ends that need it :)
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ok, ok, that was the worst joke ever, but seriously, these types of nail products are fabulous to have in your repertoire. Why? Because you can totally add some pizzazz to your nails by adding one of these little babies as an accent nail. It is awesome. believe me. Re-reading this review, I know I sound like Blanche from Golden Girls, but whatever-it is a super fun product. Buy as many of em as you can afford.
Update 01/29/2013: I decided to deduct a star from my original review because the boxes I have been opening are all dried out. There is no 'use by' date listed on them, but be careful to get a fresh pack, or else they are just crumbly & hard to work with. I still love them though.
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I love these dang things, they are so awesome and I am addicted. I have a horrible time painting my nails because I do not have the patience to apply all the coats/wait for them to dry...and if I do, they start chipping the next day. But these are great, they are so easy to put on and you get a lot of wear out of them too. I recommend cleaning your nails really well before applying and also put a top coat on after for extra protection. But no waiting for them dry, you can literally give yourself a manicure in less than 20 minutes!
ALSO: I did have a bit of a problem with the strips lifting on the edges, but I found that if you use a tiny bit of nail glue and use a cuticle tool to smooth the edges down, these suckers will stay on GREAT and they still come off with nail polish remover! :)
Honest reviews on Sally Hansen Salon Effects Value Twin Pack - Wild Child / Kitty
I am in deep, deep love with the Sally Hansen Salon effects nail polish strips! I've been using them for about a year or so, so here's the straight dope. Reasons I love them: 1. WAAYYY faster than nail polish to apply! According to the other reviewer who said it wasn't, sure, if you're only counting actual application time, it's about as fast to slap on a coat of polish. BUT, with the Salon Effect strips, THERE'S NO DRYING TIME!! I don't know a any girl who doesn't know the frustration of waiting an hour or more for your nails to dry, only to find that if you bump them the wrong way, they will still dent or smudge or mark. It takes many hours to get a dent-resistant finish with wet polish, and who has that kind of time?!?! And when you factor in the fact that these last AT LEAST 10 days, and I can only get about 4 out of regular polish before they start to chip, these save at least one, if not two more manicures! 2. LOVE all the different patterns!! I like to mix and match. When I got this set, I did every other finger zebra/leopard. So fun! I was one of those stuck-up corporate types who got a gel French manicure every time for 15 years, so in my more-secure-with-myself 40s, I'm thoroughly enjoying having fun, crazy fingernails. The trick, in my opinion, is to keep them very short. You can get away with it better than if you have crazy long nails and then try to do crazy colors, too.
I get compliments everywhere I go on my nails, and lots of questions about them. TIP: don't follow the directions about tearing off the tab at the end. Just take of the clear protector, peel them from the backing holding the strip, and secure the OTHER, non-tab end to the cuticle end of your nail. Rub it all over with your finger so it's well stuck, and then carefully use your thumb nail to take off any excess around the edges. (If you use the supplied orange stick for this task, they can tear more easily.) Sorry for the long wind, but I'm truly a fan! And here on Amazon they are SO much cheaper than the $8.50-$9.50 in the store. So ladies, buy in confidence--you'll be glad you did! :)
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My daughter recommended them to me. I started to doing gel sets about 6 months ago. I liked the gel set but I hated the soaking off the polish and the time it took. It is even costly when you factor in the tip. I even thought it weakened my nails but I committed to the gel set because I was tired of having man hands. When I first but on the salon effects a couple of them did not stick well. My daughter them advised me to clean my nails with nail polish remover and swipe them with the emory board a little. I now apply them and finish it of with a topcoat. They last me 7 days because I work in a clinical lab and I wash my hands alot even though ISally Hansen Salon Effects Value Twin Pack Wild Child / Kitty, Kitty wear gloves. My daughter takes hers off with nail polish remover. I peel then off with my teeth. They peel off clean and my nails look better without the strong acetone. I love the product!!!
