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Doing Drugstore: Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Nail Polish

BellaSugar — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:00:28 -0700

I've loved this stuff since it first came out, and if there's a drugstore product that deserves a post, it's this one. Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Nail Polish ($5) has, on many an occasion, saved me from losing my mind waiting for polish to dry and ruining an entire manicure out of sheer frustration.

When I looked in my drawer this morning, I had seven bottles of the stuff, ranging from bright, sunny yellow to teal to perfect French-tip cream. I'm not saying they have the most gorgeous colors, because they're not all that special, but for five bucks and only two minutes for fully dry hands, this stuff absolutely can't be beat. This is my day-to-day nail polish. Sure, I might throw on something luxe, beautifully hued, and boring as all get-out to wait on when a new episode of True Blood is on and I'm going to be glued to the couch anyway, but Insta-Dry is what keeps me a happy and productive member of society. Thanks, Sally.

Reader Review of the Day: Sally Hansen Brush-On Hair Remover Creme

BellaSugar — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:02:44 -0700

When you're looking for skincare products, there are some things you don't want to see in a review. Take the phrase "chemical burn," for example. Those two words came up more than once in reviews of Sally Hansen Brush-On Hair Remover Creme, a product that didn't get much love from readers. Take it from hlisa:

This product may work well for some people, but definitely not for me! I did a small patch on my inner arm, which resulted in some redness. I then did a small test on the outer corner of my upper lip. Yowza! I wound up looking like I was on the road to herpes-lip. And it didn't even take the hair off that area. Be wary, especially if you have sensitive skin. And do a patch test!

Patch tests are indeed the key to working with chemical hair remover, so, you know, heed her advice. Is there something you like or loathe? Let us know about it by heading to Product Reviews and you could be our featured post of the day.

Doing Drugstore: Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen

BellaSugar — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 09:00:05 -0700

I'm a doodler by nature, and a dabbler in whatever unique beauty product I can get my hands on. It seems like nail pens are all the rage in the nail polish industry as of late, so when I heard about Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen, I had to give it a try.

There are eight shades in total, and because I wanted to give myself some glitzy black nails à la Paris Hilton's black French manicure, I purchased the white shade. The fine-tip pen is easy to use, and the polish dried pretty quickly. You don't have to have an advanced degree in art to create great shapes, but it was harder for me to finagle with my opposite, less-dextrous hand. The pros? Because it's water-based, it's more environmentally friendly, and mistakes are easily fixed with a cotton swab and water.

The cons? The polish has a tendency to drag unless your nails are completely dry, and since it's water-based, it rubs off rather easily. I'd highly recommend applying a top coat if you're looking for a stay-put finish. While I don't see myself drawing shapes on my nails all that often and the results weren't totally perfect, all-in-all, these nail art pens are meant to be fun, and fun is what they are.

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Tracy Reese Cozies Up With Sally Hansen For Spring

BellaSugar — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 11:00:38 -0800

The Sally Hansen and Tracey Reese collaboration has been going strong for six seasons now. It's no surprise. Bringing affordable, trendy nail polish shades to the masses is always a hit, especially during this blah economy. To lighten your mood (and wallet), this season's polish collection, aka the "Garden of Fantasy," takes its inspiration directly from the feminine and modern pieces of Reese's Spring 2009 show. Romantic and colorful, Sally Hansen's Salon Nail Lacquers ($6 each) feature seven limited-edition shades ranging from watercolor pastels to deep, vibrant tones.
To discover more about the shade selection, read more.

The limited-edition shades are available in March, and include:

Tassel: A rich gold that's got just the right amount of sparkle.
Honeydew: A lively teal blue with a little shimmer.
Azalea: A bright red.
Nasturtium: A vivid coral/tangerine.
Forsythia: A soft chartreuse. The boldest of the bunch.
Night Hydrangea: A mellow purple with just the slightest hint of pearlescence.
Beet Stain: A beautifully wearable purplish red.

Biggest Headlines of 2008: Fashion and Beauty Collaborations

BellaSugarUK — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 04:30:00 -0800

I love it when fashion meets beauty, and this year, five special fashion houses created beauty products to complement their designs. I'm most excited about Rock and Republic who have launched their very own hip makeup line. MAC, another cosmetics company that is always collaborating, hooked up with Esteban Cortazar from Emanuel Ungaro on a 14-item collection inspired by their Autumn 2008 fashion show.

Textile and clothing designer Marimekko developed two funky eyeshadow quads for Avon at a (finally) reasonable price (£8). Next, Karl Lagerfeld of Chanel released a trio of unisex fragrances called Kapsule to suit any of your moods throughout the day. Last but not least, the hip and happy clothing and home designer Tracy Reese (I met her once last year and loved her) co-created a collection of nail polishes with Sally Hansen. I especially love this bright blue color to give any outfit a bit of edge.

Which beauty and fashion labels would you like to see join forces in 2009?

Doing Drugstore: Sally Hansen Lipnotic Gem Gloss

BellaSugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:03:00 -0700

I like when lip gloss comes in a wand with a brush at the tip of the applicator. Even though it can get bacteria in it the same way that mascara can, it doesn't open in your bag and you don't have to dip your (possibly germy) finger in it to apply. This is the reason I wanted to try Sally Hansen Lipnotic Gem Gloss ($6.99), but with claims like "creates a look of glittery gems under glass" and provides "hypnotic color," I was skeptical.

Lipnotic gloss is remarkably shiny. The shade Bling Bling is a little darker than my natural lip and shimmers, shines, and sparkles from every angle. Staring closely at the glitter in the gloss, I caught a few flecks of blue. I'm not sure I ever thought I would warn that a lip gloss wasn't "work appropriate," but this might actually not be. But if you're a real lip-gloss lover, it might become your favorite. And once I realized I'd been staring at my own lips for nearly 10 minutes, I kind of understood why they called it "hypnotic."

See reader reviews and add your own here!

The Look For Less: Clinique Black Honey Almost Lipstick

BellaSugar — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 09:00:54 -0700

Do you remember your first taste of honey? I do, at least when it comes to Clinique Black Honey Almost Lipstick ($14). Ever since trying the shade in college, I've been hooked. This color looks nearly black in the tube, but on lips, it's a beautiful, sheer shade of brick red. (Think of the color of blackberry pie, but lighter.) It's a shade that flatters just about everyone, and it's super-moist on lips.

But if the economy has you watching every penny, don't despair! I've found a pretty close match to Black Honey for half the price. For the twin, read more.

I recently tried Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Moisture Plump Lip Balm ($6.74) in Sweet Plum, and if it's not a twin, it's a very close cousin to Black Honey. The packaging is plastic rather than metal, but saving a few bucks will put a smile on your face.

Doing Drugstore: Sally Hansen Gentle Plumping Lip Treatment

BellaSugar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 09:00:22 -0700

There are so many lip plumpers on the market, but I'm always game to try a new one. Sally Hansen recently introduced its Gentle Plumping Lip Treatment ($8.99) in six shades. With fun-spirited names like Happy, Playful, Serene, Tease, and Tickle, I just had to try them out.

Is it a "gloss" or is it a "treatment"? Hmm . . . although the formulation includes a special peptide complex to coerce lips to pump up collagen production, I consider this product to be more of a gloss - and a rather heavy one, at that. I did love the wand applicator, which has a brush on the tip, allowing me to apply the product with ease. The built-in mirror on the side also assisted me in knowing that my lips were wearing the treatment, and not my face.

Plumping action: When Sally Hansen says gentle plumper, they mean it - no burning sensation here. "Time Released Hydrospheres" promise to increase your pout over time, but I only noticed a slight tingle with minor plump action throughout its wear.
Aroma: A slightly too sweet, almost cake-like scent.
Overall: Although the different shades I tried were beautiful, the texture seemed a bit heavy and the plumping was minimal.

Back to Basics: The Best Base Coats

BellaSugar — Tue, 13 May 2008 07:00:10 -0700

Finding the right base coat is a critical first step in creating the perfect at-home manicure. If you use one that doesn't have a decent adhesive quality, then the color you've just applied is likely to peel off quickly.

An instant peel or chip on your freshly manicured hands feels like a big waste of time. Here are three brilliant base coats that I've been using for years - and as always, if you have a favorite of your own, please tell me what it is in a comment below.

As far as base coats go, I've always considered Nailtiques Nail Protein Formula 2 ($9.50) a treat because it's fairly expensive. Also, I think it's nothing short of a miracle worker on weak, peeling nails, so if I can muster up the self-control to let some actual white tips grow in, I reward myself with a coat of this keratin enriched base coat. If you're a first-time user, it is recommended to apply one coat every other day for a week without color, and then apply it as a base coat and a top coat to your next manicure.

Borghese Brilliante Base & Top Coat ($6.74) dries quickly while providing a thin, yet adequate base for your manicure. It contains granules of gemstones for added shine, proteins to help your nails grow stronger and it seals in moisture for healthier nails. Also, it's toluene, DBP and formaldehyde free.

For one more drugstore base coat option, read more.

Sally Hansen Hard As Nails ($2.75) is a product that I've been using since high school. It's always worked well to help strengthen my weak, bitten nails and it's so shiny that I often wear it alone. After continued use, my nails feel harder and they have less ridges. You can't beat the price or the super-long brush. If you've never tried this base coat before, I highly recommend it.

Sally Hansen and Carmindy's Natural Beauty Collection

BellaSugar — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:00:13 -0700

Remember back in early March when I told you that Sally Hansen was partnering with Carmindy Bowyer from What Not to Wear to create a makeup line called Natural Beauty? Well, it has finally launched and I've just had the chance to check out the goods. The collection includes 16 items ranging from cream bronzers to lip glosses. The products are light in texture and rich in pigment. If I had to rate their blendability, I'd give them a seven on a scale of one to 10.

My favorite products include the powder bronzers, the cream and powder blushes, and the liquid eyeliner. Everything is paraben-free and full of natural, gentle, and healthy ingredients such as soy, bamboo, and fruit. For details and prices on each of the 16 items, read more.

Luminous Matte Pressed Powder: ($11.95)
Your Skin Makeup: (liquid foundation, $12.95).
Luminizing Face Primer: ($9.95)
Fast Fix Concealer: ($8.95)
Truly Translucent Loose Powder: ($12.95)
Natural Powder Blush: ($10.95)
Sheerest Cream Blush: ($8.95)
Sheerest Cream Bronzer: ($11.95)
Sun Glow Powder Bronzer: ($12.95)
Fast Fix Eye Shadow Base: ($7.95)
Instant Definition Eye Shadow Palette: ($7.95)
Always Perfect Liquid Eye Liner: ($7.95)
Lift and Define Mascara: ($7.95)
Moisture Plump Lip Balm: ($8.95)
Color Comfort Lip Color: ($9.95)
Natural Shine Lip Gloss: ($7.95)