I had tried the nail polish strips from another company. We won't badmouth them here. They were basically stickers. Didn't work. These are not those.
What these are are real nail polish strips but in a kind of sticker-like texture. The box comes with instructions, an orange stick and a three-surfaced nail file. You are going to want to read the instructions. Then you are going to want to forgive yourself if the first box doesn't turn out perfect.
You essentially remove all old polish, doing at least one clean sweep to make the nail surface smooth, buff it a bit, then open the nail polish packet and follow the instructions.
Some tips they don't give you:
1. you will need a nail clipper and it's easier to clip off what doesn't fit by following the edge of your nail. I don't care what it says, you simply cannot file off that much excess unless you have dragon lady nails, in which case I'm guessing, you are not my reader.
2. the nail strips are in size order, so start with your pinkie and then ring finger, but then skip your middle finger and use the next one for your pointer. Then go back to your middle finger. Because your middle finger's nail is bigger than your pointer.
3. These did not fit the shape of my finger perfectly -- they are all pretty big except for the pinkie -- and the easiest way around this for you, if you have the same problem - is once you've applied a strip, immediately use the flat end of the cuticle stick to make perforations in the strip and peel away the excess. (After you've cut off the overhang.)
My thoughts. These last for ages. My first box (in a kind of bright red) only lasted about five days before the first two chips. However my second box (the black floral on white stencil) is still on, and I am going on ten days with this set, and they look pretty fresh.
Do what the box says in terms of pressing down the sides, and I personally would use a bit of caution and press down the tops and sides for a bit, essentially pressing your nails gently, after they've been put on for about five minutes.
I am now angling to try the denim and leopard ones next.
PROS:
I will probably never go to the salon again.
Takes less than ten minutes, no drying.
Lasts ages. AGES.
No messy polish.
Travels well as no liquids.
At about $8/9 a pack, cheaper than a manicure.
CONS:
Limited colours so they're highly recognisable and everyone knows you have the strips on. But then again, you're lazy, like me, so who cares. Better than sitting for six hours in some salon while someone makes play-dough Harajuku miniatures on your hands!
Not quite finger shaped.
http://www.drugstore.com/sally-hansen-salon-effects-real-nail-polish-strips-tattoo-much/qxp392829?catid=295521
