Weekly Manicure: Rawr

While I enjoy the options and creative possibilities that nail polish allows I have not yet perfected the manicure process to the point where I can avoid chipping. I think I am in line with what most would consider “best practice” but, still see my manicure falling to pieces (literally) after two or three days. What advice would you have to create or maintain a long lasting manicure? I’d be happy to put this into practice next week when I sit down and do my nails.

Based on this seemingly inevitable manicure disappointment over the past two weeks I have decided to go with Sally Hansen Manicure Strips this week to avoid (almost) immediate chipping. I picked this specific pattern up on complete impulse when I saw it at CVS. I just can’t ignore that lipstick nail polish effect especially when it’s something new and exciting. There have a bunch of fun colors/patterns in this Rock of Ages collection but, Rock N' Roar was the only one calling to me as I glanced over my options. Who can resist a good animal print? That’s right, nobody…

Ironically Sally Hansen Manicure Strips would be against the “advice” of a mall kiosk person I met last weekend. Let me set the scene: I was shopping with my cousin and giving consultative wardrobe advice. As we were crawling the malls near her I spotted a kiosk that sold Incoco strips and Konad plates. I was super excited because I haven’t had the option to buy either in person yet. When I walked over to browse I was immediately assaulted greeted and the salesperson asked if I wanted to try a sample. I said yes (to a Konad design) but, she assumed that I meant the Incoco strips and proceeded to try to remove the polish (gasp) I had on my nail.

The crisis was averted and she stamped my nail, it came out really well. I suggested that my cousin try the strips because of their convenience and ease of use. While I tried to tell my cous about my personal experience with Incoco the conversation was peppered with comments from the sales person. While I said they were similar to Sally Hansen she insisted they were nothing alike and that Incoco is superior. When I said they were both nail polish strips she said Sally Hansen was plastic and Incoco was seven layers of polish. When I said that they lasted for at least a week she insisted that it was more like 14 days. The only thing that she didn’t contradict me on was when I said that there were a lot of great patterns on the website. It was a very awkward experience especially since I am familiar with/an advocate of Incoco nail strips.

While I went Sally Hansen this time around I think my nails came out pretty well, don’t you?

Do you utilize manicure strips or do you think they are just a passing trend? If you do are you a Sally Hansen or Incoco person or do you use some cool new thing that I’ve never heard about?