Nail Polish Review & My First Giveaway

I can not wear nail polish. I like it, but it always starts chipping and peeling about two hours after I finish applying it. And it usually takes me a couple of hours to apply. Hence my love of Sally Hansen Natural Shine Instant Nail Finish, which I wrote about previously. My nails grow freakishly fast, unlike my hair, but are very thin and soft. They bend and break a lot and when I wear polish it bends and breaks too. So I am forever trying products touted as "the latest technological breakthrough." Which is fine, because the rejects from my dashed manicure hopes and dreams work out perfectly for my toes, keeping my bathroom full of the trendiest colors.

But the folks at Sally Hansen really have a winner with their new polish, Sally Hansen Hards as Nails Hard as Wraps. I'm guessing they matched the length of the name to how long the polish will last. With three kids in tow, I bought some at the grocery store for under $5 - now that's Beauty on a Budget! I blocked out a couple hours to apply my new find that night. Imagine my suprise when the first coat went on smoothly and dried quickly, and in 30 minutes I was finished with two coats. And it was sheer joy to find my first chip didn't come for an entire 36 hours, and really everything looked very good for about 48 hours. A small miracle for me! If you have healthier nails than mine (and don't have to spend two hours a day washing dishes, clothes, bathrooms, baby bums, etc.) I can see your manicure lasting four to six days without serious chips.

The first color I tried was Coral Creme. It was very bold and certainly fun and appropriate for summer, but more of a special occasion choice, rather than everyday. Next I chose Sheer Pink Gloss. I didn't like it much - it looked merely clear and gave my nails a bit of a fake look, although I gather that's the point of wraps. The third and favorite pick was Sheer Lilac Gloss, a beautiful soft pink with a hint of shimmer.

Since this is the first regular post at The Well-Rounded Woman, I wanted to host a giveaway. Unfortunately no one is offering me free products so I chose this nail polish because I can afford an extra bottle from my own pocket (yes, husband, this purchase falls under my mad money category). Please leave a comment at this post and on Saturday morning I will choose a reader at random to win a bottle of Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Hard as Wraps in a color of their choice. Make sure I have some way to contact you in case you win. You may e-mail me if you don't want to leave your address in the comments. thewellroundedwoman (at) gmail (dot) com. You may enter once per day.

Check out Fussypants for more tips on how to Fight the Frump in your life!