REVIEW of Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color in 905 Red-y Response

Hello meadowlarks,

No, there's no connection between Sally Hansen Red-y Response and meadowlarks. I've just been listening to the Patti Lupone version of that song nonstop since seeing Stephanie J. Block at Carnegie Hall. #humblebrag #sorryforthehashtag. I don't know if you remember when I reviewed Graphite Gravity all the way back in July of 2012 but although I didn't hate that polish, I wasn't intending on buying another one. Fast forward to... maybe a few months ago (I've stopped doing haul posts all the time so I can't remember exactly when I bought this) but these Sally Hansen Magnetic polishes were on clearance at Walgreens and Duane Reade so I ended up purchasing two colors. I will be reviewing the second one... sometime in the future. At the rate I'm going, it could be another two years.

Color: Sally Hansen Red-y Response is a pink magnetic polish. Like other magnetic polishes, it looks like it's somewhere between a metallic polish and a shimmer in its normal state. Of course, the point of a magnetic polish is to hold the provided magnet over the polish so a design forms. The magnet design of this polish is the same wave pattern as the one that comes with Graphite Gravity. Surprisingly, the places where the waves condense are actually quite dark for a pink polish. I found that this polish also pulled a bit more purple under certain lighting conditions. It was never actually purple but more the distinction between magenta and fuchsia. As with other magnetic polishes, the real selling point is clean, easy nail art, which is what Red-y Response provides.
Formula: This polish has a smooth, fluid formula that is neither too thick or too thin. It does smell godawful though.
Application: This polish has a wider brush, which you know I'm not a fan of, but it didn't create any issues. The polish applies like a shimmer polish with apparent brushstrokes. At one coat, there was good coverage but it was nowhere near opaque so I thought that in spite of the instructions, I might have to apply three coats. But then I applied the second and quickly held the magnet over it and, lo and behold, it did appear opaque at two coats. I should note that in the photos the pattern appears a little less pronounced on the nail of my middle finger because I unintentionally touched the magnet to the nail and had to add a third coat and re-do the design.
Wear: I wore this polish for four days without top coat and then applied top coat on the fourth day to finish taking photos for this review. In those four days I experienced a little bit of tip wear. I would say this polish holds up better than Graphite Gravity but I'm not sure how it would survive past day four.

CONCLUSION: If you like the magnetic polish look, I'd totally recommend this polish. Application is easy. The design shows up cleanly without any issues. The only drawbacks are the smell and possibly the wear time.

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REVIEW of Sally Hansen Colorfast Tint + Moisture Balm in 50 Blackberry Honey

Hello honeybees,

I have to be honest. Sally Hansen Colorfast Tint + Moisture Balm in 50 Blackberry Honey is not just a mouthful. It was also a massive disappointment.

Color: Blackberry Honey is sheer brown lip balm. From the packaging I got fooled into thinking it would be more of a blackberry deep red/purple similar to Revlon Crush but unfortunately it just looked brown on my lips. Now I'm for unconventional colors like dark plums or colors that look intimidating in the tube like Revlon Fig Jam but Sally Hansen Colorfast just made my lips look dirty and I don't know what it was about the exact color but it made me look a bit like a zombie. Somehow it seemed to leech the color out of my face and make my skin look duller. It's possible that this product will look better on someone with a darker complexion or more pigmented lips.
Formula/Finish: It definitely feels like a traditional lip balm and doesn't have the thinner somewhat slick and greasy feel of other lip crayons. It has a bit of a sheen when you first apply it.
Application: The product glides on relatively smoothly but it applies like a traditional lip balm so it doesn't apply as smoothly as say a Clinique Chubby Stick or a lip gloss would. For a sheer balm, it's relatively pigmented (possibly because of the shade I chose) in one layer and you can build it up though it will never be an opaque lip color. It doesn't apply evenly. When I wear it, more pigment collects at the edges of my lips where I have more lines so they appear to be more brown while the center of my lips appear more pink. It is very noticeable and unflattering. Also, it does catch in any dry flakes so you will want to apply this product to smooth, exfoliated lips.
Wear/Moisture: I'm not sure if this product is horribly drying but it isn't moisturizing. Only wearing it for a hour I could feel it getting drier and afterwards my lips didn't feel any softer or smoother.
Scent: I can't place the scent exactly but it's something like chocolate or caramel. I can smell it as I'm applying it and in the tube but it's not so overpowering that you smell it constantly once you've applied it. I'm generally not a fan of cloying sweet scents like this so it was a negative for me.
Taste: It doesn't really have a taste. It tastes like plastic or a generic lip balm base.
Price: You can find these for about $5 depending on the retailer making it one of the cheaper lip crayons on the market right now but you're sacrificing quality for price. I would pay a few dollars more, wait for a sale, or use a coupon and get a Revlon product instead. Or, if you want to splurge a little, go for a Clinique Chubby Stick.
Packaging: The packaging is nice and simple. The twist up crayon mechanism works fine for me. I haven't had any problems with it getting stuck. While I like that you can see the color of the actual balm, the clear cap looks kind of cheap and isn't the most secure.

CONCLUSION: I really can't find anything worth recommending about this product other than that it's cheap. I don't like the color or the scent. It doesn't apply evenly and it can't even be used as a generic lip balm because it isn't moisturizing.

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Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fast Dry Nail Color in 460 Snappy Sorbet

Hello my little sorbettos,

Oh my God, I can't even remember when I bought this polish. I feel like it must have been ages ago. I think I wanted to try this back in October as a pumpkin orange fall shade. There are just some polishes that never seem appropriate for the season or the occasion. But finally in the middle of August, I felt like painting my nails bright orange. So here were are. I have swatched this polish once before in my orange/coral polish comparison which you can check out at this link.

Color: Sally Hansen Snappy Sorbet is a orange creme polish. It's a fairly standard orange. It doesn't lean red-orange like a lot of the oranges that have been released in recent collections in the past year or two and it's not as bright as some of the neons. Instead, it feels like a safer alternative that appears muted beside those colors, though still fairly loud in its own right. I suggest checking out that comparison post I linked above as it photographed a little more accurately beside the peaches and corals in my collection. While it isn't a horrible color, I don't think it flatters my skintone and it makes my skin look dull.
Formula: The formula is on the thicker side.
Application: The brush for this polish is horrible. It's a wide brush which is already a point against it for me and the way the bristles are cut is just ridiculous. It's like they weren't even trying. I was afraid that the brush was going to create a lot of problems so I painted thicker coats than I normally do. The first coat was a little streaky but not too bad, though I immediately got bubbles on two nails. I also immediately noticed how badly this polish smells and how strong the smell is. The second coat was even more streaky. I had a very difficult time trying to getting the polish to even out, though the polish was pretty opaque aside from the balding and patchiness. With the third coat of polish I noticed the brush dragging. In short, my nails looked like an absolute mess. My Seche Vite worked wonders but you can still tell at the sides of the nail that this polish didn't apply evenly.
Wear: I could only put up with wearing this polish for two days. After two days of wear, it was already very tough to remove and stained a little. I can only assume that if you wear this polish longer it could stain worse and be harder to remove.

CONCLUSION: No, I would not recommend this polish. It was a pain in the arse. There are plenty of orange polishes out there. You do not need to struggle with this one.

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REVIEW of Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in 419 Hidden Treasure With SWATCHES

Hello my little baubles, bangles, and beads,

Today I'll be reviewing Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in 419 Hidden Treasure. I don't know if anyone will ever read this because for some reason Sally Hansen couldn't think of other polish names and used this one twice. So if you're looking for a review of the other Hidden Treasure polish from Sally Hansen, this isn't it. I originally purchased this polish because it was on clearance and heavily discounted and also because popsugartvbella on youtube (which is admittedly a dubious source) told me that pearlescent, opalescent, and frosted polishes were a trend for spring.

Color: Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure is a white-based polish with a pink undertone. It's difficult to really classify. You could call it a frost but some people might think it isn't frosty enough to qualify as one. You could call it a pearlescent shimmer but it has a slightly rougher look to it and isn't as sophisticated as what I would classify as a shimmer. One thing is certain: It's certainly not a creme polish. There's a hint of sparkle that catches the light. It's not microglitter but something else. The sparkle has pink and green undertones. I think the polish is pretty enough but it's not going to be for everyone as it can look a bit cheap.
Formula: The formula was unremarkable. Not really thick or thin, though the brush made it a little difficult to tell.
Application: I applied three coats to get the look I wanted. With this polish, I don't think you should try and get full opacity. At three coats this polish isn't fully opaque but I think it's how this kind of color should look. The brush is wide and rough cut with the bristles cut at different lengths but surprisingly I didn't have too many issues with it. It doesn't look spectacular and there was a bit of bubbling but it certainly wasn't as bad as polishes I've reviewed in the past.

CONCLUSION: Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure is a perfectly fine polish if you like this look but it can look a little cheap and I did have issues with bubbling. I would recommend this polish if you like the swatches.

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REVIEW of Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Color in 310 Gunmetal

Hi chickadees,

There aren't a lot of polishes that I can only stand to wear for a day. This was one of them.

Color: I know this will come as quite a shock... but Gunmetal is a gunmetal gray polish. I would classify it as somewhere between a frost, shimmer, and a metallic polish. It kind of has the look of liquid metal with tiny flecks of shimmer. Indoors, it is a very dark gray, as in the pictures. Outdoors, it is a lighter gray but that would not photograph correctly. I added the pictures anyway just to show you how the polish inexplicably photographs blue. There is really no blue in this polish.
Formula: The formula was very thick and gloopy. And I got tons of bubbles.
Application: Application was a pain. You could see the overlapping brushstrokes (though this was not as apparent after top coat it was noticeable enough to annoy people who hate that look). It was very difficult to paint even coats and I experienced a lot of bubbling. I also found it hard to wrap the tips of my nails because the polish was so thick. I should note that the smell was particularly strong and terrible. The one positive thing I can say is that it only took me 2 coats to get this polish opaque.

CONCLUSION: No, I would not recommend this polish. The color is nice enough but it has so many formula and application problems. I know it's cheap, but I'm sure there's a dupe out there.

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REVIEW of Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat

Hello chickadees,

I am sorry for all of you out there who love this top coat and claim that it's better than Seche Vite, but it's not. #truth #facts I have been on the search for a Seche Vite replacement for a long time as it's quite expensive at NYC drugstores (I usually get my bottles from Harmon's in the suburbs). Also, while I know Seche Vite is not as dangerous as people claim (see my post on Seche Vite's response to my customer service inquiry) http://smartandsarcasticwithdashesofinsanity.blogspot.com/2012/11/seche-vite-on-seche-vite.html 
I also know that it isn't great to apply these kinds of chemicals to my nails at the frequency I do considering how often I change my nail polish color. So of course when everyone was saying that Sally Hansen Insta-Dri was a great replacement for the shine and quick-drying of Seche Vite, I threw it into my drugstore.com order to try it out. And... well...? I hate it. I hate it so much. I hate it with a passion.

First thing? It's not quick drying. I had to wait more than a few minutes for it to dry. That is a far cry from the 30 second claim on the back of the bottle.

Secondly? It's full of bubbles. FULL of bubbles. And very thick and gloopy and difficult to work with. I can't even continue to test it because it'll ruin every polish I apply it over. This is inexcusable for a top coat, which should make your nail polish look better, not worse.

Oh, and if you think that the lack of toluene or other ingredients is going to make this smell any better than Seche Vite, it doesn't. This smells just as terrible. Maybe a little bit worse.

Conclusion: Obviously, I don't recommend this product.

This is how much I used by the time I reviewed this product. I may try and find other uses for it in art projects and whatnot. Maybe if I'm in a relaxed mood I'll give it another chance, but it's doubtful.

REVIEW of Sally Hansen Red Zin With SWATCHES

Hello chickadees!

Remember when the fashion world went mad for oxblood? I responded by getting a ton of deep red polishes that I quickly got tired of testing when I recalled how ambivalent I am towards red nail polish. But seeing as it is January and there are just certain colors that are perfect for winter, I decided to pull out my bottle of Sally Hansen Red Zin. I wasn't expecting much. I'm a bit of an Essie/OPI snob when it comes to drugstore polish. But I was very pleasantly surprised. I might even end up getting another bottle.

Color: Red Zin is a red creme polish. I hate describing reds because at some point it sounds like debating the distinction between eggshell and ecru. (Yes, I did just make a Cinderella II reference.) Anyway, to me Red Zin feels like a deep, brick red, though I've certainly seen similar colors described as oxblood. Frankly, I don't know if anyone knows what they're talking about when they refer to oxblood. There's not exactly a universal language of colors akin to the periodic table. Some people see oxblood as more red. And some people think true oxblood has to have purple in it. There's no purple in this polish, just so we're clear. I think the color feels mature. It's not really what I'd classify as a vampy, maneater kind of red. It feels more professional. Just as ruthless and dangerous but for the boardroom, not the bedroom.
Formula: The formula was nice. Not too thick or thin. The polish looked opaque in 2 coats but to pass the light test and get it fully opaque I did 3. Also, 3 coats seems best if you want to get a darker, more saturated color.
Application: Application was reasonably smooth. There wasn't any dragging but I hesitate to call it a "perfect" application. The brush is very wide and it is cut atrociously badly. The edges are very rough and uneven. Yet, it didn't affect application. It did make things a little messy and I did have to do more cleanup than usual. I did get one tiny bubble but I covered it up with another coat of polish.

Conclusion: I think Red Zin is a pretty gorgeous color. It's a good darker, classic red to have in your collection and while the formula isn't perfect, I would still feel comfortable recommending it. And yeah, I might get another bottle if this love affair with red polish persists.

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REVIEW of Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color in 908 Graphite Gravity with SWATCHES

Hello chickadees!

DISCLAIMER: Time for another review from my Influenster 2012 Summer Beauty Voxbox. Just so we're clear, unlike the majority of the products on this blog which I purchased with my own money, I was sent this product to review. However, that's not going to change what I have to say about it. My opinion cannot be swayed. Especially when it comes to bad nail polish. Fortunately, that's not a problem with the Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color in 908 Graphite Gravity that I was sent to try.
Pricing: The card that came with my Influenster Voxbox says that this product retails for $9.99. Now, I have no idea what that actually means as at least here in NYC everything at the drugstore seems to be a little more expensive than elsewhere. But taking that as the standard price makes Graphite Gravity more expensive than the top drugstore brands, Essie and OPI which go for about $8 but still less expensive than your highend/overpriced brands like Butter London, Chanel, and Dior. Personally, I'm OK with the price because I think it's better to buy something you love if it costs a little more vs. a product you don't love that's not going make you as happy but will save $2. And with the Sally Hansen, you're also paying for the magnet. Let's breakdown the specifics though.

Brand	Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color	OPI Nail Lacquer	Essie Nail Polish
Price	$9.99	around $8	$8
Amount of Product	9.17 mL/0.31fl oz	15mL/0.5 fl oz	15 mL/0.5 fl oz
Cost per mL	$1.09	around $0.53	$0.53

Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color: $9.99 (Color: 908 Graphite Gravity)What the card says... NEW! Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color is summer's hottest nail trend that allows you to create a gorgeous nail art effect in just seconds! This unique formula was specially developed with metallic particles -just hold the built-in magnet over wet polish to reveal a unique design on the nail.
Now, to get onto the actual review. I kind of love this polish. I tried it out and got a bit frustrated at first until I perfected my technique. Once you have that down, this product is a dream to apply. Now, their instructions are to apply a base coat and then one coat of polish. Then they want you to apply a thick coat of polish and immediately hold the magnet over the nail for 10 seconds. Because of all my trial and error, I know that you can paint more than one coat to cover the nail and you'll still be able to paint that final thick coat and get the desired effect with the magnet. The MOST important thing though is to do as they say and IMMEDIATELY hold the magnet over the nail for that final coat. My first few attempts I wasted time screwing the top of the bottle back on. Don't do that. Put the brush back in the bottle and then IMMEDIATELY hold the magnet over the nail for ten seconds. I didn't have any trouble with my nail hitting the magnet except with my thumb but that was my fault. I wasn't really paying close enough attention.

Color: I hate to say it but with the magnetic effect, this color is made up of shades of gray. Not fifty, though. More like three. There's a medium-tone metallic gray base and magnetic creates bands of a darker graphite gray and a lighter silvery/chrome gray. The polish photographed a little darker in the photos below.
Formula: This polish is opaque in 2 coats so if you wanted to follow their exact instructions you could. My swatches use a few more coats because I was practicing but the polish won't look any different or more opaque if you add more coats after the second. I would say its a metallic polish but the color is muted so it shouldn't be too overwhelming for people who prefer slightly more conservative nails.
Application: This polish was a dream to apply, right up there with my favorite Essie and OPI polishes. I told you I had a bit of trouble figuring out the magnet at first. Well, the first coat goes on OK but every successive coat just glides on without any effort. I actually think you could wear this on its own without the magnetic effect. Honestly, I have no complaints about application. The only part of the process that bugs me is how quickly you have to grab the magnetic and the fact that you don't know how the magnet will create the design so you can't get specific placement.
CONCLUSION: I would absolutely recommend this product. It's a great drugstore alternative to the more expensive magnetic polishes that other brands have been releasing. It applies like a dream and as long as you grab the magnet as soon as you paint your final coat of polish, the effect is easy to produce. I haven't seen it in stores yet but depending on the color selection, I would consider picking up more bottles of this polish. :)

UPDATE: My one small issue with this polish is that it doesn't wear very well. I know everyone isn't like me and doesn't expect nail polish to last forever but I usually don't have any problems getting my nail polish to last without chipping or scuffing weeks if I want it to if it's a good polish. It's just that my nails grow so fast that I need to switch up my polish or have huge gaps. Anyway, after about 4-5 days this polish isn't looking so great. It's wearing at the tips and there's definite scuffing.

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