Sally Hansen • salon effects • Polishes

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*TOP REVIEWER* shriekingviolet on 3/14/2012 1:02:00 PM more reviews by shriekingviolet

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

Great product, albeit steeply priced. They're a fun, (relatively) easy way to bring a little art to your nails that requires little to no creative expertise and are longlasting to boot. I've used these twice and neither time did I experience much in the way of peeling or chipping. Both times I removed the strips only because I was just ready for a new manicure after having worn them for a week. I use both a base and top coat with these so that might be helping with wear time too. They're a little bit tougher to remove than regular nail polish, but no more difficult than polishes that contain a heavy amount of glitter. For easy removal, I'd recommend dousing cotton balls in acetone and adhering them to your nails with aluminum foil or saran wrap and letting it sit for 5-10 minutes. After that, removal is usually a breeze.

My favorite thing about these strips is that they don't require time to dry. I don't know why, but my nails take forever to dry no matter what combination of polish, base and top coat I use. Seche Vite may dry my nails to the touch in 5 minutes, but my manicure can be easily dinged, nudged and dented for a good two hours or more if I'm not careful. With these, I'm completely good to go as soon as my top coat dries. That makes these a life saver when I'm in a hurry and don't have the time to wait around for my manicure to fully cure,

I do find these slightly awkward to apply, but I think that has more to do with my clumsy fingers than a design flaw. It's usually a bit of a struggle for me to lay it down flat and straight, but it's not so bad that it won't become easier with practice.

My only real complaint with these is the price. Unless you have short nails and/or small nail beds, you're only going to get one use out of every box. If you're used to going to the salon to get your nails done, $10 a manicure will sound like a real deal but if you're used to doing your nails with your own polish at home, $10 a manicure makes buying and wearing Chanel polishes seem cheap. You may be paying more up front for a bottle of a high end nail lacquer, but it'll last you for multiple manicures making them a much better value. Still, these nail strips are cute and fun enough that they're worth the occasional splurge,

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*TOP REVIEWER* mandiluk on 3/13/2012 7:46:00 PM more reviews by mandiluk

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I'm sad. There's so many positive reviews and it simply didn't work for me. I followed the instructions and did everything. I got it to stay on my left hand's nails and it just wouldn't work on the right hand. I applied a top coat to all the fingers and it just didn't last. Once I got into the shower, the sides of the effects, like where your nails meet the side of your finger, just started peeling. So disappointed

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JuicyDiva15 on 3/13/2012 5:49:00 PM more reviews by JuicyDiva15

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Acne-prone, Olive   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I am in love with this product. When I first saw it i wasn't too keen on buying it but the packaging was so cute that i decided to get it. The first time i put it on i used up the
whole package but the second time i used one pack and cut the strips in half which gave me two applications. The polish itself dries instantly after you apply it ( not that it's wet, it's soft and could rip) i started to notice tiny chips after wearing it for three days which is a long time considering that i do arts and crafts in school which always ruins my nail polish.i got the strips in kitty kitty and received quite a lot of compliments on them. As for the price they are quite expensive i think that they cost around €9 but are absolutely worth it. :)

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barnesrb on 3/1/2012 1:37:00 AM more reviews by barnesrb

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I love this product!
they are so easy to apply. and even more easy to take off.
the key is to add a top coat! at least two layers.
three layers for the best results!!!!

this is my 2nd time wearing them
the first time i wore kitty kitty and now i have on flower girl.
its BEAUTIFUL.

i didnt have any chipping what so ever with my last set of these strips and i kept them on for about 7 days. This time i will keep it on for 10+ days to see how long they really last!...


MUST BUY!!!!

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battlesbiitch on 2/27/2012 5:24:00 PM more reviews by battlesbiitch

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Green    

i absolutely LOVE these! i'm completely obsessed! i bought the black & white checkered one (called Check Please, i think.) the tattoo design one (called Tattoo Much) and the flower print one (called Power Flower, i think.) and i tried the black and white checkered one first and immediately fell in love. it's SOOO important to follow the directions exactly, i feel most people probably skip steps or rush through them because they think they're not that important, but trust me, they are! it took me only about 15 or 20 minutes to do both hands, and that was without ever having done these before! i don't understand why some people complained that it took them 90+ minutes... maybe they were doing it wrong? no idea. but i would ABSOLUTELY purchase these again. speaking of purchasing, if you're comparing these to the price of a regular old nail polish (which is usually under 5 bucks) then obviously they seem expensive. BUT if you compare them to the price of a manicure (20 or more dollars) then they're pretty darn cheap! i got mine for $9.99 each at walgreens and i am perfectly satisfied with the product, price & durability! they lasted me 13 days before i decided to take them off (only because i was DYING to try another design! they would have easily lasted me another week, if not more. they weren't chipped or peeling at all.) i guess if i had to make one complaint, it would be that it took some hardcore scrubbing on my nails with remover to get the stickers off, but to me, that just shows how durable they are and how long they last! i got TONSSSS of compliments on them and am now totally devoted to sally hansen. i can't wait to try more of these!!!

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jennyfindstreasures on 2/25/2012 10:06:00 AM more reviews by jennyfindstreasures

Age: 44-55   Skin: Very Oily, Fair   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

These are terrific if you go slowly, read the directions, and practice. My daughter begged me to get these for her, and I did her nails first. They came out just okay, but she peeled them right off. I was intrigued, so I bought the one with blue sparkles, and followed the directions exactly. I suggest that take your time to apply these. I also put a clear topcoat over them, and I am going on one week with just some tiny chips on a couple nails. These are a fantastic product because I feel they protect your nails, and there is NO drying time. I would definitely keep practicing putting these on. I think the designs are fun, and way cheaper than paying for a manicure.

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imdreaming on 2/22/2012 11:03:00 AM more reviews by imdreaming

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Other, Fair-Medium   Hair: Red   Eyes: Blue    

I tried the red & black plaid version at Christmas. I found them difficult to apply. They chipped easily. On day 2 I put on clear top coat, which helped.
They really caught peoples' attention, mostly asking, 'how did you do that?' They were quite fun for Christmas.
I would never buy again because of the difficulty of getting them off. It took nearly half a bottle of polish remover and much scrubbing. I've never had trouble with my nails peeling or splitting, but since Christmas I have. The only thing I can attribute this is to the chemicals I had to use to get the stuff off.

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aferrar1 on 2/21/2012 11:49:00 AM more reviews by aferrar1

Age: 30-35   Skin: Oily, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I picked up 3 boxes of these on clearance the other day at Rite Aid…I’ve wanted to try them but haven’t been willing to pay 10 bucks a pop. They were 75% off, so I was happy with the sale.

I got turquoise, yellow & orangey red (sorry I don’t have the names handy). I assume this is the “old” color range. But be careful & make sure you look at the little packet of strips inside the box to see if they are faded. Luckily, I noticed some of them were really faded before I bought them and traded them for “good packages.”

On to the application…I was really excited to try these this weekend! All the colors I got were super bright, but I thought the turquoise would be ok. Well the color turned out to be more of a mermaid-y/sparkle-y turquoise so I ended up aborting the mission. I did test 2 nails though since I had already prepped my nails. Once you peel the color off the strip, it kind of starts warping – that was a little annoying. But I got it on the nail and pressed it down with the cuticle stick – I found the stretching to be really helpful in evening out the strip. Before I started stretching it, there were lots of lumps/bubbles. The nails looked nice, but since I wasn't in the mood for this color I peeled them back off.

Overall, I can see these taking a REALLY long time to apply. Yes, it would be nice not to have to wait for them to dry, but I usually use quick dry anyway. I will probably use the other boxes in the summer, but don’t know if I’ll be running out to buy them again.

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psych12 on 2/20/2012 8:33:00 PM more reviews by psych12

Age: 30-35   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

Uh, no. I got these before going on vacation, figuring that they might be a cheaper alternative to a chip-free manicure. They were something of a pain to put on. Several of them ripped while applying them. Placing them is a bit of pain, and one nail was off (but I knew that if I tried to stretch it, it would rip). The polish itself chipped plenty over the last 4 days. Also, small bubbles appeared on a couple of nails. Overall I think the concept has potential, but I don't know if it's worth it right now.

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morningviewangel99 on 2/7/2012 5:17:00 PM more reviews by morningviewangel99

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

For SH Salon Effects Nail Stickers in Skinny Jeans.
I was really excited about this product and had wanted to try them for sooo long but was reluctant to spend $$ on one application. So when I saw some on sale for 75% off, I snatched them up even though they were in Skinny Jeans and I wasn't particularly wanting denim nails. I'm sorry to say I was very disappointed when I applied them later, and I followed all the steps EXACTLY. They were difficult to peel off of their base and hard to position properly. They also shredded easily when trying to file off the excess on the tips. On the packaging they claim to last for up to 10 days but I experienced significant wear at the tips of nails, so much so that I removed them after 2 days. And let me tell you, removal what the biggest nightmare of all! I spent over half an hour scrubbing remover and picking at it before I finally got it all off. I am reluctant to want to try this product again, but I may try it again to see if any of the problems were due to my inexperience at applying it, and I would also like to see if using a top coat will help them last longer. Overall I would not recommend this product.

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pixelprincess on 2/7/2012 12:46:00 PM more reviews by pixelprincess

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

I really liked this product: I got the pink sparkly one. I wanted it because I love sparkly nails but I have the way glitter polishes damage your nails and are so difficult to get off. However, I also got a broken nail way above the white part of the nail so I was looking for something to "hold" my nails together. This seems to be working well for me on that (combined with some nail glue). I love the way these look.
Anyway, this was my first time using it and my technique for application definitely needs some work. I think once you get the hang of it things will go better. Since this was the first time I has some immediate chipping on the ends and a few days out some near the cuticles (where I accidentally went over onto the cuticle with the strip). I am sure this would not have happened if I had used the cuticle stick to "seal" the strip onto my nail. I did not swipe my nails with NP remover immediately before applying because I had just removed nail polish before I cleaned up my cuticles and hadn't washed or added anything to my hands - so I did also skip that step. Overall, I am happy with the results but I think they are a little expensive since there's only one manicure per-box. To me, this does not compete with my own weekly DIY manicures and pedis at home - even with my expensive nail polish since cost per wear is less. But, for a novelty thing or a special occasion they're awesome. (Still cheaper than the salon.)

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darkEyespinkLips on 2/1/2012 6:07:00 PM more reviews by darkEyespinkLips

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

OBSESSED. I was afraid they wouldn't work on my super short nubs but they work and they are amazing! Each set has lasted at LEAST 6 whole days perfectly and that was through vigorous cleaning, dish washing, hand washing and house work. These are not a miracle people so don't expect 2 weeks of perfect wear. Even if they only ever lasted 5 days it is still worth it to me because regular nail polish doesn't last through the day for me without chipping. I've seen them range from $8-$11 off sale so they are kind of expensive but people pay $10+ for a mani that lasts only 3 days so once again, totally worth it for me. They were super easy to use. Luckily I was able to find strips that matched my nail width almost perfectly and the rest was cake. I suggest watching some YT tutorials before applying but here are my tips to get the most out of your Salon Effects:
-Push your cuticles back and make sure the strip does not go anywhere near your cuticle and especially not over it.
-You NEED to swipe your nails clean with nail polish remover or acetone immediately before applying these. The people you see complaining that they didn't stick probably skipped this step.
-Take your time, be gentle, handle the strip as little as possible while aligning with your nail.
-Use the cuticle stick to push around the edges to really seal them to your nail.
-Fold the strip over your free edge before filing away the excess.
-Top with a clear top coat making sure to wrap your tips and reapply a clear top coat every 2-3 days.

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csilvestri on 2/1/2012 12:04:00 AM more reviews by csilvestri

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Red   Eyes: Hazel    

I love these things to death. I've bought many boxes and only had minor issues with one. Definitely clean your nails well before use and try not to touch the sticky part where it will go on your nail. Mine usually last 8 to 10 days and I work retail so they get beat up fairly well ;P

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ergiie on 1/31/2012 10:35:00 PM more reviews by ergiie

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Hazel    

I really wanted to love this product! I followed the directions exactly and within hours the tips of my nails started peeling back. Some of my nails look ok, but it's really hard to get these perfect. I was severely let down I had such high expectations for this product!!!

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aspenskimommy on 1/28/2012 12:03:00 AM more reviews by aspenskimommy

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I've tried twice on myself and four times on my daughter to apply these and I feel after $60 my lesson has finally been learned. They are a total nightmare. As somebody else stated it's a sticker for you nails, and a horrible one at that.

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lovejkras on 1/23/2012 1:47:00 AM more reviews by lovejkras

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I detest these things. I bought two colors- Red-y for Trouble (neon red) and Cry Baby (neon pink) for 75% off at CVS, and even at less than $3 each, I feel like I paid too much. these do not adhere to my nails well at all- each nail has dents, bumps, creases, etc. The edges began to lift the same day I put them on. It's really a crime that Sally Hansen charges such an asinine amount of money for these when they are essentially stickers for your nails. Will not repurchase, ever.

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jesbets on 1/21/2012 9:21:00 AM more reviews by jesbets

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

I had been lusting after these ever since they came out, and finally got three different sets in two wonderful swaps.
The patterns are great! But other than that . . .
They were still too narrow for my enormous nails. I have gotten used to that and have become very handy at adding little off-cuts at the sides. So, again, I am now sporting a patchwork on my hands. The lace pattern that I used was very forgiving, but when it comes to the butterflies and my lemming cobwebs, they will be much harder to match up.
It was a pain to get full coverage for all ten nails out of one packet - why on earth are there 8 pieces in one packet??? It just doesn't make sense. I can appreciate you get a strip or two extra, but six? However, I did manage to use only one of the two packets.
But here's the real problem: Somehow they don't stick properly at the bottom - I ended up with these really noticable, thick ridges at the base of my nails, near my cuticles. I have pushed the stickers down, my cuticles back, you name it, but they aren't smooth at all and now it feels like I have mutant hangnails. My hair gets caught in them, they snag my clothes, pantyhose, everything. And yes, I did use topcoat! The tips are fine, but this totally drives me nuts and they are going to come off today, within 24 hours. SUCH a shame.
I have pretty much tried everything on the market now: Sephora, Incoco, Inque, Essence. All drove me crazy.
I will use up the Sally Hansens, to honor the lovely swaps and because the patterns are so pretty, but after that I will go back to the ones I like best by far: the simple thin water decals that you can order online. They are cute, they are cheap (if you find the right seller), and if your stash is big enough you will probably have a matching color to put underneath.
And then there's stamping, of course. With some brands making big full nail patterns at last, I guess I'll stick to that!

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JodyF on 1/15/2012 2:02:00 PM more reviews by JodyF

Age: 44-55   Skin: Oily, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

Putting these on took 90 minutes, the same amount of time I'd spend on a regular manicure, but more annoying and less relaxing. The end effect is ok, not great. And the amount of non-recyclable packaging that was left at the end was a travesty. With coupons, I was able to get the price down from $9.99 to $.50, but it wasn't even worth that!

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MooRose15 on 1/13/2012 7:45:00 PM more reviews by MooRose15

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

i bought a pack on sale for 3$ because ive been wanting to try them. so i picked up a package thinking it was a light lemon yellow. well when i opened the package they were ORANGE carrot orange. only the first nail on display was yellow. also i only had them on for 12 hours and one of the nails peeled off. also the package came with 16 strips. why 16? thats such a random number. four of the strips were large thumb peices WHO HAS 4 THUMBS????? any way i got much more use out of the little cuticle stick that came with it.

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*TOP REVIEWER* NatanYah on 1/11/2012 5:38:00 PM more reviews by NatanYah

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Dark, Warm   Hair: Brown, Relaxed   Eyes: Brown    

I had so much trouble putting these on and it was very time-consuming. After the 2nd or 3rd nail I gave up and painted my nails with my trusty Rimmel Dusty Rose. The stickers are difficult to get just right on the nails and they really do have to be placed just so. They cost about the same as a regular manicure give or take a dollar or $2. It's just not worth the hassle.

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