My thoughts on two different gel polishes

You've probably noticed that gel polishes (sometimes called no-chip polishes) are HUGE right now. They've gone from a professional-only service to being available in every drugstore.  I've never been interested in them because I just don't like wearing the same polish for more than a day or two, and with gel polishes you either have a four week commitment to a color, or you have to endure a 30+ minute removal process.

But one day, as I was gazing down at my disappointingly short-lived pedicure, it dawned on me that I could use these on my toes too.  I mean, I always knew I could, it's just that I had no desire to actually do so until that very moment.

I had a couple different gel polish sets sitting around waiting to be tried, so I decided to compare a no cure gel with an LED gel.

Jessica Flash Fusion 2-5-2

Jessica Flash Fusion Colour Activator in High Velocity

This system is super simple. It's only two steps: Primer and Colour Activator. You prep your nails by cleansing them of all oil and moisture, and then you apply the primer to all nails on one hand. You immediately follow with the Colour Activator (which is the polish part).  A final coat of Primer seals the color and you're done. No curing. No dry time.

The texture took a bit of getting used to, but application was very simple. The Primer is basically superglue or nail glue. The Colour Activator is the tricky part- it spreads out really fast when it touches the primer. I eventually learned that I could just apply a drop of Activator in the center of my nail, on top of the primer, and it would spread to cover the entire surface.

The end result was a bit lumpy (hey, it was my first try) but looked and felt great. Smooth, glossy, hard. Unfortunately, it chipped right away.

wah-waaaahh

Luckily for me, removal was easy.  Five minutes in foil with Jessica's Flash Off remover and it was done. It has the texture of nail glue, so it just dissolves with the remover. 

I would definitely use this again as a pedicure since it was so fast and easy. It has its downsides, but I really liked the quick removal compared to LED gel.

This set was sent for review, but it can be purchased online directly from Jessica here.

Red Carpet Manicure LED Gel Polish

Red Carpet Manicure Cinder-Ella

The Red Carpet Manicure LED Gel has more steps, but it also has a much longer lasting end result.

You prep your nails with a sanitizer, apply base coat, cure, color, cure, color again, cure, topcoat, cure, and then wipe away the sticky layer and you're finally done. It's not complicated or difficult at all, it just takes longer.

I like the texture of the products. They're thick but they don't set so you have some time to play around with them and get your glitter placement right before you cure it. I think I applied my glitter a little too thick, but I was trying to get it opaque in two coats so that's my fault. I don't think Cinder-Ella was meant to be an opaque glitter. 

The gel polish in this system cures with an LED light that has a timer built in. You place your hand under it, hit the button, and then it turns off after 45 seconds (there's also a portable version of the LED lamp that takes a little longer, but I have the plug-in one.) 

This gel polish was extremely sturdy and chip-proof for as long as I wore it. I only had it on for a week because... why would I want to wear this color for more than a week? I can't fathom it. Hah!

The huge downside for me was the removal. It takes FOREVER. You need to file the shine off the nails, soak them with remover for 20-30 minutes, and then they're supposed to slide off, but they don't. You gotta scrape a little, and then sometimes soak a little longer to get down to the bottom. Removal was such a pain for me that I'd be hesitant to use anything but clear gel if I used these again.

I bought my Red Carpet Manicure supplies from Ulta. 

If you like wearing the same color for a really long time, these at home soak of gel systems are really user-friendly. I don't think gel polish is for me, but I can see why people like it.  I liked both of these types of gel polish, but I preferred the easier removal of the Jessica system.  Maybe there's another brand out there that removes just as easily. Do you know of one? I'd totally try it.

New Broadway Nail ImPRESS Press-on Manicure Photos and Review

Broadway Nails, makers of some of the most interesting press-on nails (notably, the Chrome and Color Changing nails), has just released a brand new type of nail: the ImPRESS Press-On Manicure. It's a little different from all the press-on nails I've tried before.

It comes in several styles, including some really nice nail art designs like these (left to right: TGIF, Holla!, Over The Moon and Vixen), but also some single color plain styles.


The packaging is really unique. It comes in a plastic nail polish bottle. And it's not just for looks, it's actually functional:

You unscrew the cap and then press the sides of the "bottle" to flip open the clamshell package. Yes, it is an extra step and a little excess packaging, but this style of packaging ensures that you won't spill your press-ons if you throw the package in your purse. The old-style packaging with two plastic trays is notorious for creating a nail-storm, nay, a nail-splosion when tying to open or store them. These seal tight, no way to spill them until you open them. Plus, the idea is cute. A manicure inside a nail polish bottle.


The nail is gently curved, but extremely flexible. These aren't stiff, brittle fake nails. You can press them flat or pinch them into a tube and they won't crack. Note the plastic tab on the front.

Each nail comes with its own built-in adhesive tab. No glue required. All you need to do is peel off the protective plastic film and you're ready to apply.

This is the style I tried; it's called TGIF. It's a glossy black creme base with circles, dots and a few glitter accents. The pattern is different on each nail size.

To apply these, you should first wash your hands and remove all nail polish from your fingers. No color, no treatment, no basecoat. After polish removal, use the enclosed (not pictured) alcohol prep wipe and thoroughly clean each nail. Select the nail sizes appropriate for you. It's faster to size your nails ahead of time and have them all arranged in order. They are standard tip sizes, so if you already know your numbers, it'll be even faster.

Peel off the plastic film from the nail you're going to apply, and press it down firmly onto your natural nail, being sure the nail is straight and level. Rub it a little to be sure the glue sticks. Continue the same way for the rest of the nails.

There is no dry time, but I would recommend going easy on your nails for the first half hour after application. The adhesive needs a little time to set.

So... how do they look?

Hmmm.... a little wonky. They're very flat and wide on me and they look pretty thick. I don't know if you can tell from the angle of these pictures, but the nail is bulging up from the cuticle end. It's very obvious in real life; nails aren't supposed to look tall. The wide flare combined with the length makes them look a little too fake for me, but I think I can remedy that.


There we go. A little better. This is how they look after I've filed them down and shaped them a little more square. Still fake looking, but not as immediately obvious.

The shape is a little better, but there's still this problem:
There are large gaps under each nail. This is not only unsanitary, but annoying. These gaps are due to partially to design and partially because of my nail shape.

The glue only comes halfway up the nail, so if you have long nail beds like mine, they will always have a gap. These appear to be intended for people with very short nail beds, people whose nails do not extend all the way to the fingertip (very good for people who are chronic nail biters especially) and people who have a very flat, non-curved nail plate.

In order for me to wear these again, I'd have to remove the pre-applied adhesive tab and use my own nail glue. That way I'd get even coverage across the entire nail and no gap.

Removal is super easy. Just drip a little acetone around the edges, or run hot water over your nails for a minute, then peel up the nail from the sides. It feels very wrong, but it comes off with virtually no damage to the nail. The ones that were stuck on a little harder made my nails a little rough, but nothing as dramatic as peeling off actual nail glue.

Quick rundown:

What I liked:

• Lots of really nice colors and designs.
  
• Included adhesive tab is not your Mama's stick-on nail adhesive. It actually bonds to the nail like glue and doesn't pop off if the breeze hits it just right.
  
• The nails are very shiny and smooth. The design isn't easily damaged or scratched.
• They're cheap and accessible.
• Very, very, very easy to apply.
• Zero mess. No glue. No fingers glued together, or to tables....
• Can be filed for size and shape. You can also use tip cutters or nail clippers to bring down the length if they're far too long for you.
• Super easy removal.
• Strong, durable wear.

What I didn't like:

• The giant gaps under my nails. These were not made for a nail shape like mine. Your hair gets caught in them, junk and moisture accumulate under them so they're very unsanitary and they're just plain annoying.
• They look very obviously fake on me. If you have wide, flat, short nail beds, they'll probably look more natural on you. On me, they looked thick and tall, too wide and awkwardly unnatural. They were very thick.
• The thickness of the adhesive tab causes them to stick up more than a traditional, glued-on fake nail. This also contributes to the thick appearance.
  
• They were uncomfortable. They're so blunt that you can't scratch or pick things up with them. They didn't hurt and they were secure on my nail, but the thickness and the gap drove me insane by the second day. I had intended to wear them for a full week but I just couldn't.
  
• They smell weird, like styrofoam or something similar.
  
• None of the sizes were really a perfect fit for my nails. The closest ones were a little too small, but the slightly bigger ones looked too big and clunky.

Overall, I was not ImPRESS'ed with these (Ohhhh, that was cheesy. I'm sorry.) but they won't be the same for everyone. If you have short, wide, flat nail plates, these will probably be perfect for you. I have long, moderately narrow and extremely curved nails, so these are not for me. The application and removal are easier than any artificial nail I've ever used, and the adhesive tab is shockingly strong, so I have to give it points for that. The designs are nice and the packaging is innovative. But, sadly, they just looked too thick and fake on me, and the fit was so poor that I don't think I'll be wearing these again.

The Broadway ImPRESS Press-On Manicure is available in 36 styles, both solids and patterns, and can be purchased at most drugstores. There's also a virtual dressing room on their site where you can try on all the styles to see how they'll look against your skintone. Just be sure to have your speakers turned down, or else the sudden loud sound effects and music may startle you and make you spill your coffee... not like that happened to me or anything...

(This was sent for review.)

Peace and Love Nail Kit from TJ Maxx!

Back in December, while I was out Christmas shopping, I stumbled across this little set at TJ Maxx:

Yeah... it looks pretty dorky. That's why I initially didn't grab it off the shelf. But then the light hit it just right and I noticed something sparkly inside...


Oooooh! A light purple toned holo glitter!

There's a few really nice colors in the set, and it was only $7, so not a bad deal.


All of the best colors are in the top row. A sheer green/gold/red duochrome that's the most amazing thing ever, a fine silver glitter, a sheer glass fleck blue/purple/grey duochrome sparkle and a black/silver sparkly color.


The bottom row has a sorta ugly warm brown shimmer, a purple holo glitter, a hot pink shimmer and a purple shimmer. There's also some purple press-on nails, purple toe separators with peace signs and some little stick on nail gems.

Man, look at these, they're so hot:


It's a little hard to tell in this picture, but it's a bit like OPI Fireflies. It's very sheer and it looks white, but at one angle it's a crazy strong green and gold and at another angle it's red and orange. I can't get over this. I love it SO MUCH.

Here's the periwinkle-slate-lavender-purple-grey whatever duochrome shimmer. Again, hard to tell how sparkly and pretty it is in the picture, but it's gorgeous in real life.

Plus, they're made in China and smell like crazy awesome chemicals, hooray!

I love stumbling across random unexpected inexpensive gems like this.

Guest Review - Kiss and Revlon Press-On Nails

This is only the second time I've had a guest review! This time the guest reviewer is none other than my dear Mom. I was sent some press-on nails by Kiss that I'm literally unable to review. They're so short and small that they don't even cover half of my nail bed, so... yeah... review not possible. While my hands are on the petite side, they definitely aren't petite enough for the Kiss Petite french nails. However, my mom has some of the smallest hands and nails I've ever seen, so she was a perfect candidate to try these. Just one of the perks of being my mom.... Another is that you have an endless variety of polish colors to choose from when I give you a mani/pedi... Also, I'll give you unwanted critical commentary of stupid prime time sitcoms with identical plots for free!


In addition to the Kiss Petites, I put some Revlon press-on nails on her to compare, and here's how the Revlon Zoe nails worked for her:


"I liked them because they stayed on-- no bubbles or loosening. Didn't like because too wide and the color on tip chipped within 2 days."

I applied these to her using the Revlon NailStay glue that's included in the Revlon kit. I filed them down to a medium length- these start out pretty long, which I personally prefer because I have longer nail beds, but the long length doesn't work for her. My opinion of these is that they look a lot less natural than the Kiss nails, the tips are too thick and white. Not that a french manicure ever looks natural, but you know... some are less tacky than others.


And now here are the Kiss petites:


"I liked these better because they were smaller and thinner. I didn't think the glue was as good as the other brand, it bubbles and I kept getting my hair caught in them. The finish lasted, looked more natural and stayed shiny."

I applied these to her using the little disposable tube of glue included in the Kiss set. She's right, the Revlon glue is superior, not just in application, but in longevity. It's kinda difficult to apply the proper amount of glue using those little one-use tubes, and it doesn't set as fast or as strongly as the Revlon. They also lifted on her sooner than with the Revlon glue.

However, I think the end result looked a bit more natural. The actual thickness of the nail is a lot thinner so they do look more like a natural nail from a front/head on view. The base part of these nails is clear, so you won't be able to hide any imperfections on your nail or bubbles in your glue, but that also makes the nail look brighter and shinier. She didn't notice any chipping or wear in the white tip of the Kiss nails and she was able to wear them for a whole week with them still looking new.

The small width and length of these suited her pretty well. This set comes with some extremely tiny nails- the smallest ones are slightly bigger than a lentil! So if you have extremely petite hands and nails with very short nail plates and you want to try press-ons, these would be the nails for you.

The Kiss nails overall seemed thin and lightweight, especially compared to other brands of fakes I've tried. Someone would be less likely to detect that you're wearing press-ons with a nail as thin and clear as these. I can't say I'm a fan of that super bright white tip, but if these had a softer, more milky and translucent natural white, they'd definitely pass for real nails.


Thanks, Mom, for contributing your reviews and photos!

(These were sent to me for review...)

Illamasqua Nail Quills and Scorn Matte Finish Polish

Illamasqua's latest creation. Once again they've done something totally unique- you won't see these anywhere else! They're nail quills. A set of two matte black and chrome accessories for your thumbs, inspired by one of these:

They come in a ridiculous nice box. It's plain matte black with a shiny Illamasqua logo for contrast. It has a really sturdy suede-ish fabric lined sleeve that protects the matte black jewelry box containing the Quills. I know it's just packaging, but man, it's so fancy and expensive feeling!

With the outer portion on...


The inner box. It looks really light and grey here because of the lighting, but look how it picked up on the texture of the box. That's weird and kinda cool, I don't know how I managed that. The box feels like it's a smooth satin fabric but it also looks like cardboard... not sure which it actually is, but it's pretty.


Open the box...

Two nail quills and a little double-sided card that has some info about the nail quills and Mike Pocock (the creator/designer of the Quills) on one side and the opposite side is printed with the signature Illamasqua wood nymph looking lady. One funny thing to note- there's a legal disclaimer on the card that says that Illamasqua isn't responsible for any damage caused while wearing the Quils...


When you pull up the little ribbon, this chamber is revealed. It holds the application instructions, a little tube of nail glue and four stick-on tabs. I love the design of this box. Secret storage for the less-glamorous items!

Some more shots of the quills in their case:



In case you're wondering just how exactly they're secured:

There's a little sticky tab underneath each quill. Probably not the most permanent solution for holding the quills, but you can always store them under the flap if the tabs lose their stickiness. Also note the construction of the quills from the underside. The rough black part feels like acrylic sealing in the edges of the chrome foil material. The bottom part is a smooth plastic like a nail tip or press-on nail (which is what these are). Each set of quills is handmade and unique and have their own little quirks and imperfections.

Now, these are slightly too big for my thumbs so they look a little 'off', but I just had to try them on. You might be able to file down the edges/sidewalls if they're too big, but I was afraid to... Didn't want to accidentally ruin them. I used the sticky tab with no glue.



So wicked looking. They're quite long and rather pointy so do take care when wearing these. They're a little flexible so that you don't do any major damage, but you could still poke yourself if you're not careful!


Application is extremely easy. For this very temporary application, I used only the adhesive tab. If you've never applied an adhesive tab, this is all you do: Prep the nail by wiping it with alcohol or acetone, peel the tab off of the paper sheet but leave the paper backing on. Place the sticky side of the tab onto your nail and smooth it down so that it lays flat with no wrinkles. Peel off the paper backing and press the nail quill onto the sticky part. Voila! Easy. But, keep in mind that adhesive tabs are not very strong and won't really last more than an evening.

The instructions recommend combining the tabs with the glue for a longer wear and to preserve the life of the Quills. It instructs you to apply the tabs like normal, but then apply a few drops of glue on the tabs before you apply the Quills. This is so you can remove the Quills without ruining them by soaking them off like you'd have to do if you use the glue alone.

To remove them when applied with tabs, you run your thumbs under warm water and just peel them off. It doesn't damage your nail at all because it's just sticky tape. For removal with glue plus tabs, you can do the same thing but you may need to clean the underside of the quill because there will be a little sticky residue left from the tabs.

Easy to apply, easy to remove. Looks awesome and will definitely make you stand out. The only downside I can think of is the price- they're £35, which is about $55 USD. They are quite limited and all handmade, a true collector's item, so they'd have to be a little on the pricey side, but I do think that £35 is quite steep. The info about them says that they're bespoke- which, as I understand it, implies custom made to your specifications, but I'm not entirely sure if/how that works with these. If they are all custom fit, that would definitely justify the price.

So, now you have pointy matte black and chrome thumbs, what do you do with the rest of your nails?

That's simple- Scorn nail polish. It's designed to compliment the quills- it has the same color and finish.

This is two coats of Scorn. It has amazing coverage and smooth, even formula. The finish isn't really a true matte- it has some shine to it. You know I'm all about the super chalky matte-mattes, so this isn't exactly my favorite finish, but it does match the Quills. It looks like leather to me, so that's cool. If you wanted to continue the matte black and chrome theme, you could put a little silver gem or stripe of foil nail art tape on each nail, too.


I think these are really crazy and I love them! They're a weird combination of beautiful/glamorous and intimidating/tough. They're delicate but at the same time they're knife-like dangerous! I was expecting a true stiletto shape, but they actually are quill-shaped, which also impresses me. If you want this look but can't afford the price tag, you could always go to a salon to get your thumbs done in black and silver acrylic stilettos, but they won't be quite the same and they won't be re-usable.

This would be a good gift for a nail fanatic who loves to be different and stand out. The box and packaging and presentation makes them very gift-able. Available only on Illamasqua.com and at the flagship store on Beak Street in London.

(These were sent to me for review.)

My Vacation Mani - Nail Bliss Chrome Metallic Nails

I can't wait to show you these... I *just* finished editing the pictures. They're soooo cooooooool!!!


So, I was in Sally renewing my beauty club card and also checking to see if there were any new releases when I spotted these in the far corner of the store. You know the one, with all the nail tips and fake fingers and disembodied featureless heads? Where no one ever looks? Yeah! These were there. They came in three or four styles, the display was a bit of a mess so it was hard to tell how many there were.

There was a zebra print like the Broadway metallic nails (which I plan on reviewing, I just haven't worn them yet), what seemed to be a lighter silver chrome, and the ones I picked, a darker purple-toned chrome:

Super shiny... Nail Bliss Metallic Press-On Nails, style number seems to be 158800- no other identifying markings?

And then these, which I haven't worn, but holy crap, look at them:

They are beveled... textured... what do you call this style? I know there's a name for it but I can't remember what. They do it to metal jewelry to make it more shiny or something like that.

Another angle to show you that they are actually three-dimensional:


So crazy.

Each set comes with 24 nails- not enough, really. Mostly large thumbnail/toenail sized nails and very few small enough for my hands. One thing to note- these do not come with glue. They come with adhesive tabs and if you want to wear these for more than a few hours you'll need to supply your own glue. I used a bottle of Revlon NailStay nail glue I had floating around in my junk drawer.

You apply them as you would any press-on nail and this is what you end up with:


Dude. How freakin' amazing are these?! I can't get over how much I love them. Though, I did find them a little too flash at that length so I filed them down to match my natural nails:



I got a bit of glue on the pinkie and I scratched the other slightly while filing... oops. You can see some of the downsides of these nails in this picture. One, they're thick. Two, they're so flat they don't conform to the shape of your nail bed leaving you with a gap at the fingertip where dirt and bacteria can get trapped. And three, the shiny surface isn't that durable. You can see that they look a little wide and flat and not quite real compared to my natural nails.

Some more shots of post-filing metallic nails:


Flash brings out the darker base color of these chrome nails. It's not a pure light silver, it looks a bit like marcasite.

I wore them for five days. Truthfully, I couldn't stand having them on my fingers after the first two hours, but they looked so amazing I didn't want to take them off for a month! Fake nails feel weird. They're too blunt, you can't scratch with them.

This is with five days of wear. Note the index finger- a stripe of the chrome finish has worn off entirely! Partially due to a filing accident, partially because of wear. There's a bit of tipwear and quite a few scratches. They still looked good enough at arm's length for me to keep them on, but I just had to take them off! Despite the package claims they are NOT thin and flexible or best fitting, but damn, do they ever look cool.


Here's my evaluation:

• PRO:
• Cheap - $6 a box
• Easy application- can be done at home in 10 minutes
• Your nails become mirrors. Finish can't be achieved with polish
• No chipping
• Available locally, don't need to order online
• Gives you the Minx look without visiting a salon or paying a professional to apply
• Can be painted over without damaging the finish
• Comes in a length long enough for my nail beds- most press-ons are too short
  
• SHINY!!

• CON:
• Doesn't come with glue
• Shiny mirror surface is easily damaged
• Feels funny, can't scratch
  
• Not enough small sizes
• Slightly unnatural shape and curvature- very flat and wide
• Surface must be filed off for removal

Removal is easy if you get one of those scrubby-bristle acetone jars from Target. One thing to note- the chrome won't dissolve. You have to file off the shininess to remove the nails.

Anyone who has been wanting to try Minx but can't find a salon who does it may be interested in trying these. A lot less expensive and you can do it at home.

I'd totally wear these again. I loved them so much I think I could wear them for the rest of my life and not get tired of it. The mirror finish is just SO AMAZING. I couldn't stop looking at my hands. Neither could anyone else- everyone who saw my nails commented in amazement. If you're looking for compliments, these will do the trick. Seriously, I was so infatuated with these that I was thinking of ways to have metal permanently fused to my nails.