DIY Gel Polish with Sally Hansen Salon Gel Polish Starter Kit

Today I have guest blog from a dear friend of mine - Stef. She is as much of a beauty lover as I am and we have enabled each other to a countless number of beauty purchases! One of Stef's great love is getting her hands manicured and today, she shares with us a review and tutorial of her latest nail haulage.

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I’ve always loved finishing up my gym workout session with a manicure session at a local salon. And ever since I found out about gel nail polishes, I was hooked! I love that it dries instantly and doesn't chip; is still glossy and shiny even after 2 weeks. For me, gel polishes are the best things since sliced bread because I can still wash dirty dishes (I don't use gloves) and not have to worry about my nail colours fading or chipping!

But each gel polish manicure costs $35-$40 - do I really want to spend that amount every 2 weeks - especially when I realise that I could probably do it myself (though probably not as well as the salon manicurists, but practice makes perfect right?).

So when I found the Sally Hansen Salon Gel Polish Starter Kit, it was Hallelujah! I ordered my kit from eBay, which was the best way to source the product from the US to Australia.

Sally Hansen Salon Gel Polish Starter Kit

The kit contains:

• 1 base coat 1 colour coat in “Wine Not” 
• 1 top coat (I love the glossiness of this coat) 
• 10 cleanser pads 
• 1 nail buffer 
• 1 gel polish remover 
• the LED lamp

The application is really simple:

1. You apply a very thin coat of  the base coat. This is important! If you apply a layer of slob, it won't set properly. Trust me - I've been there before :( 
2. Then you cure it for 30 seconds under the LED lamp.
   
   
3. Apply the colour coat thinly. Depending on the colour intensity that you want, you can either apply one or two coats of colour. 
4. In a single coat, “Wine Not” looks like a bright red with shimmer. In two coats, the red looks a bit deeper, sexier, and richer. Cure it under the LED lamp for 30 seconds with each coat.
   
   
5. After curing the colour coat, apply the top coat thinly; cure it under the LED lamp for another 30 seconds. This is my favourite part. As soon as you layer that top coat, it lifted up the whole polish to show this glamorous glossy colour. 
6. Use the cleanser pad provided to rub over the nail colours to remove the tacky residue from your nail polish. 
7. The last step is to apply the CND Solar Oil - a sweet almond oil base cuticle oil. Brush a good amount on your cuticles and gently brush it in with your finger. Not only is it nourishing to cuticles, it also helps the nail polish to stay on longer. 
   
8.  I purchased another gel polish last week: CND Shellac in “Hollywood”. Below is the comparison of the two colours. My nails are polished in “Wine Not” - 2 coats and my toe nails in “Hollywood” - 1 coat.
   

   

   On hands: Sally Hansen "Wine Not", on feet: CND "Hollywood"

The Verdict:

I think this at-home Gel Polish kits make a good investment and Sally Hansen has come up with a value-for-money kit. However, I find that their gel polish are not as long-lasting as those from the CND Shellac range. So, once my current Sally Hansen gel polish runs out, I'll be getting CND Shellac or Harmony Gelish gel polish replacements. 

RRP US$64.15 at major US drugstores or you can source this online at Amazon.

Do you like doing your own nails or prefer to visit the salons?

Thanks Stef for writing for the blog - hopefully she will be making more regular appearances!

Easter Nails with Salon Effects

Easter is just around the corner – it’s quite scary how quickly it’s come around this year but I am looking forward to the break.

So in trying to get into the spirit of it, I have been having copious amounts of easter eggs (Cadbury Creme eggs are to-die-for!) and have even recruited my nails to partake in the festivities.

Sally Hansen have launched some very cute Easter inspired designs this year in their Salon Effects range and I had some sent to me the other week.

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Easter Edition - RRP A$14.95

The five designs are:
Checker Out - A light green gingham print
All a Flutter - pastel coloured butterflies on a white background
Mad for Plaid - checkered strips of pastels and brights.
Not a Peep - colourful little tiny chicks.
Pink-a-dot - Pastel pink on white dolka dots.

I decided that I wanted Pink-a-dot on my nails because they remind me of the wrappers of the chocolate Easter eggs that I've been devouring!

These nail strips are easy enough to apply and because my nails are not that long, I was even able to cut each nail foil in half to use on 2 fingers meaning I will be able to get 2 uses out of a pack – BONUS!

So the tips to applying Salon Effects are:

• Match your nail size with the nail strips first and line them all up on the table in the order of your fingers so you won’t get confused when it comes time to put them on.
• Prep your nail by pushing but the cuticles and lightly buffing the surface of your nails before application to create a non-smooth surface for the nail strips to adhere to.
• Start with the pinky finger and work your way to applying the nail strip to your thumb. I work on the same digit on alternating hands but you can work with one hand first before doing the other – do what feels most comfortable for you.
• Peel of the backing and position onto nail, aligning the edges on both side of the nail. Then press down very hard during application of the nail strip to help create a strong bond with the nail polish strip and your nail bed. The flat side of the orange stick is perfect for this.
• Any excess of the strip should be folded over nail the nail edge first to create a crease line before using the included nail file to file it off – ALWAYS file in one direction only to avoid ragged edges of the nail.
• Finish off with a top coat layer to protect the design from scratches and to give nails a high gloss shine! Every few days you can apply the top coat again to refresh the nail colour and keep it looking glossy.

lining up the nails shape helps with getting them ready for application

It took me over 30 minutes to do both hands but I’m sure as I improve my application skills, I’d be much faster. I’ve had the manicurist applies these on me in under 15 minutes!

Available now at Priceline and selected pharmacies.
This featured product was provided for consideration.

Date-worthy Nails with Sally Hansen Honeymoon Red

What nails shades would you wear when you are out on a date if you want to make a great impression?

Having been faced with this very dilemma this weekend, I resorted to the fail-safe shade that one wears when coveting alluring and desirable nails – a trusty deep ruby that never fails to impress.

Sally Hansen Diamond Strength No Chip Nail Colour: Honeymoon Red - A$13.95

A gorgeous deep ruby, I absolutely adore this shade. It transforms digits from plain to sexy and stunning upon application. Easy to apply and not one bit streaky, the shine and gloss from this nail colour is just brilliant – something that I across the board from the Sally Hansen diamond strength nail range (and when topped with a topcoat, they are gleaming and very mirror-like!).

One thick coat with Sally Hansen Diamond Flash top coat.

One coat gives a gleaming ruby colour, and two coats gives deep vampy red that women everywhere covets. I can see why it is called honey moon red – it’s the perfect representation of passion and love, of which I’m sure is plentiful on a honeymoon!

What other shades do you think are date worthy shades?

Available in David Jones, Myer, Priceline, Target, Woolsworths and selected pharmacies.
This product was provided for consideration.

Daimond Nails with Sally Hansen

If you are like me and likes using your nails as tools to pry open things in your daily life then it's little wonder that no nail lacquers (other than shellacs and UV gel nail colours) survive for long on my fingers.

Usually within a day, even with the best of lacquer formulas, I'll experience tip wear (where the colour at the edge of the nail is fades off). The quality of the lacquer determines the extent it of the tip wear in a day. Then a few days later, the nail colour will normally lift on the edge and chip or lift off even with a protective top coat on.

Recently, I tried out some nail products from Sally Hansens and have to say for my rough treatment of my hands, its stands up quite well to fading and chipping (actually I did not experience any chipping at all).

Sally Hansen Insta-Grip Fast Dry Base Coat, Diamond Strength No-Chip Nail Colour & Diamond Flash Fast Dry Top Coat

The Insta- Grip base coat is quick drying and creates a slightly non-smooth surface on the nail bed for the colour to stick to and also prevents yellowing of nail beds while strengthening it. The only thing I did notice is that if applied too thickly, the colour can peel after a couple of days with this base coat on, so be sure to paint it on as thinly as possible to avoid this issue.

The selection of growing shades from the Diamond Strength No-Chip nail color with diamond particles for long wear range from the wearable pastels to the contemporary and modern with an easy to apply fluid formula and brush.

The shade I have on in the picture is #220 Champagne Toast, a pastel pink with fine iridescent shimmer and a pearl finish. It is a soft pretty shade that is easy to co-ordinate clothing and accessories with. 3 coats were needed on this shade to get a more opaque finish.

Diamond Stength No Chip Nail in Champagne Toast with Diamond Flash top coat

The Diamond Strength Diamond Flash top coat featuring grounded diamond particles is one of my favourite nail finishing product as not only does it creates a mirror-like shine to nails, is is quick-drying (60 secs touch dry) and prolongs the intensity and wear of nail colours by doubling its life on my nails. That means that I get about 4 days of wear without tip fade and over a week wear without chipping.

The nail colour lasts even longer when I re-apply the top coat every 2nd day to further protect it from fading and to give it an instant boost in shine.

Sally Hansen has come to my rescue and I can now make any of my manicures last over a week with the help of some of its clever products. Now I just need to make the nail lacquers dry faster so I don't accidently smudge them when they are touch dry but not completely set yet. 

Do you have any products you can recommend me to avoid nail smudges after application?

- Sally Hansen Insta-Grip Base Coat RRP 13.3ml A$13.95
- Sally Hansen Diamond Strength No-Chip Nail Color 13.3ml RRP A$13.95
- Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Diamond Flash Top Coat RRP A$13.95
at pharmacies, Target, David Jones, Myer, K-mart and Woolworths.

These featured products were provided for consideration.

Sally Hansen Salon Effects

Don't have time to paint your nails before going to bed but you need them looking pretty and sparkling the next day?

Sally Hansen has the solution for you with Salon Effects. Made from real nail polish sprayed onto a layer of glue, these strips are easy to peel off and apply to nail and look as if hours has been laboured to give beautiful effects when in fact it would take less than 20 minutes to do.

The kit comes complete with cuticle stick, a mini file and buffer and 16 nail strips to fit all nail shapes and an instruction guide on how to apply the file.

Tip: Apply a base coat so the strips can adhere better to nail. Peel off paper backing and apply to nail, rubbing over the nail lengthway to remove any air bubbles and use the file to cleanly file off excess nail polish strip.

With no drying time, and resistant to lifting, these quick and easy work of art lasts over a week (especially when a clear top coat is applied after application and 3 days later to help the polish looking fresher).

And when you're ready to take them off, just use any nail polish remover to wipe them off.

With many creative designs, there's bound to be a style and design that would suit your occasion. I've got on a limited Halloween edition silver cobweb style this week in keeping with the Halloween theme but I also love current best seller 'misbehave' (nude base with fishnet stocking design).

For those of you in Melbourne, Sally Hansen has a mobile manicure bar set up at Federation Square and are offering free manicures (including the Salon Effects applications). Get there quick because their last day is this Thursday 3rd November.

Sally Hansen Salon Effects RRP A$14.95 at Priceline stores.
This featured product was provided for consideration.

Sally Hansen Beauty Tools

Sally Hansen has this week released a new range of high performance beauty tools to help you primp and groom with ease and precision at home.

Being the nail expert, they’ve created large range of manicure products to help you skip the nail bar and nip, clip and file all in the comfort of your own home with professional results. The tootsies didn't get neglected either and there are products to help give you the perfect pedicure as well. 

Complementing the range, they also included grooming products for your brows with tweezers and brow kits and an sexy curls eye lash curler to complete the 30 strong item range. 

My pick from the bunch:

See the light tweezer – RRP A$29.95 

How innovative to have a built in light in between the tweezer so you can clearly see every hair you are need to remove. No more waiting for sunny days in that dark bathroom to shape your brows. 

Everyday Strength – RRP A$9.95 

These nail files are great in the handbag for on the go shaping and filing work and helps save those snagged nails from breaking/splitting further.

Cuticle Tamer – RRP A$16.95 

With curved precision blade, you’ll be sure to cleanly cut away over grown cuticles and those pesky ragged skin around the nail. 

Priced from A$4.95 for a nail shaper & buffer to A$29.95 for precision tools, get them now at Priceline, David Jones and selected pharmacies.

NOTD: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Enamel in Pronto Purple

Hi All,

How's everyone's day going? I'm on training this week and will need to keep my posts short so nails are going to feature prominently as they are quicker to write up. This is the latest nail colour I have on while I'm on Life Cycle Management training this week  (they should have this course on people rather than systems, would be so much more interesting).

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri in Pronto Purple

Sally's claims

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri dries any nail colour in 30 seconds for no fading or chipping for up to ten days. The non-oily formula dries colour and shields manicure from fading and discolouring with superior shine.

How it performed 

• In natural light, it is a deep purple-plum colour, but indoors in florescent light, it is more a eggplant purple. It is gorgeous under the sun and looks very edgy accesorised with grey/black clothing. This shade would suit all skintones. 
• Semi creme, leaning more towards a satin finish. 1 coat yields a rather flat colour while 2 coats gives a more glossier look. I would have preferred the promised superior level of shine,  but the shine level achieved was just average. 
• Easy to apply formula that resists streaking, is self-levelling and helps hides bad application well (all things I look for in my nail lacquers). It is also non-staining upon removal - another good sign. 
• The only let down for me is the rather small bottle opening. I often find I'm not getting the flattened brush into the the opening and instead wiping polish onto the side, annoying when excess polish is dripping down from the stick end of the brush and I can't can't wipe it away quickly enough back into the bottle.  
• Staying power was above average - there was minimal fading on the edges the next day and this was despite not having applied a top coat. 

2 coats in natural light. No topcoat. 

Rating: 7.5/10. Would have preferred the bottle design to be the conventional round or square shape rather than triangular with a small opening. More gloss to the finish would have been great too.
RRP A$13.95/US$4.99 for 9.17ml at all good pharmacies and Priceline in Australia.

This product was sent to me for review