Incoco Nail Polish Strips Review and 'Swatches'

Wraps and nail strips are absolutely everywhere. I first saw them from Sally Hansen, and now I can't go into a drugstore without seeing them from everyone.

Some are plastic, some feel more papery, and some are thin pieces of film.

What I didn't realize about nail polish strips is that some companies, like Incoco, are actually using real polish to create theirs.

Seriously! Initially opening the package, that's sealed up air-tight, expels a poof of air that carries that distinctive polish smell. Mind. Blown.

When you use real polish to create nail strips, your result is much more legit. I can attest to that after reviewing three sets of strips from Incoco on one mani.

Two of the strips I used were created to cover your full nail (Amped Up and NY Lights). Amped Up comes from their designs collection, and NY Lights comes from the line of colors.

In addition to these full nail sets (each of which contains 32 individual pieces), I was sent a French design set, called Maxed Out Tips. This includes an absurd amount of tips, with double-ended designs. I don't think I'll run out of these if I try.

My experience with these three sets of polish strips was greatly professional. Once cut to the shape of my slender nail plates (I'll never come close to needing the gigantic thumb sizes they include), I peeled off the strip according to the instructions. (Visit their website for a complete How-To.) Apply was easy, and they were much less bumpy than I expected. I guess that's the real polish working in your favor there.

Because there's no dry-time, once you get them on and filed down to match your nail shape, you're done and can be on your way. I rushed my application for a brunch date, but they still came out pretty flawless. I did rip my thumb piece too close, exposing my nail underneath, so I reapplied that, but beyond that, they were quite cooperative.

When using the French tip designs, you are required to place a nail strip of clear over the French tip. This will help prevent peeling, but does make those nails thicker and a little bubbly in my experience. I didn't like the way the clear looked over my natural nail.

I'm also curious how well the strips will maintain their longevity after I've opened the package. The instructions say that once opened, you should use the strips because as they are exposed to air, they become brittle and less flexible. I'm hoping placing them in a sandwich bag will prevent that, but without an airtight seal, that may not hold true. Only time will tell there.

Removing the strips is easy and safe for your nail plate. Damaging the nail plate will hurt it until it grows out. You'll have less protein on your nails, which means less structure and more peeling. The less damage you can do to it, the better. Incoco realizes that, and tells its wearers that removing should be done just like regular nail polish. Use polish remover on a cotton ball or pad and remove just like polish from a bottle. Simple and clean.

Incoco's selection of designs is impressive. They have holiday selections (Jack-o-Lanterns anyone?), and year-round designs, and plenty of solid colors. In addition to the nails, they also offer toe patterns too! (I would personally not try these, because my insanely tiny toes are hard to paint, let alone lay stickers on.)

The full-nail designs are $8.09 each (both for manis and pedis), solid colors are $7.19 (manis and pedis), and French tips (regular and designs) are $8.99.

These products were sent to me by Incoco. The reviews are based entirely on my experience with the products and were in no way influenced by anyone.

#NailTechNailedIt: Week 2

Second week of nail tech school has come and gone already. 14 more weeks of classes then several more of practical skill practice (is that redundant?) to go!

Last Saturday wasn't much to write about. Because I'd only had one week of instruction, I wasn't yet qualified to give manicures to real clients, so I spent the day keeping up with laundry needs of the salon and studying my notes.

It paid off this week on Tuesday and Wednesday though. Tuesday was a test day, and I took three chapters' tests. I passed them all (one took two tries because of tricky wording) and then Rachel practiced manicuring on me. I feel bad, because I try to eliminate cuticles and ugly nail shapes myself for this blog, so I didn't leave her much to practice with. Wait'll we get to toes...she'll have plenty to work with.

Wednesday was our first practical test, where we practiced what we'd learned on paper and each other, on real people. My model was my lovely friend Clare. She came in and sat, just as a real client would, and I went from start to finish for a basic mani. Start being greeting her at the desk, and finish being handing her off at the front desk again and thanking her for everything. Of course, there was a full mani in between (shaping, removing cuticles, massage, polish). She was a wonderful model, and Concha signed me off as ready to do manis on actual clients. Here's her final result:

The color is Decoded from ORLY

So this Saturday was much more lively! I was officially on the books and tested out of a basic manicure, a paraffin manicure, a hot oil manicure, and shellac (which is actually gel at our school).

This week, I learned (and probably should have known beforehand), that gel and Shellac are used interchangeably now. Shellac is a CND-only name. Sort of like how everyone calls bandages "Band-aids". I think the formula is slightly different between that and gel, but the principle is the same. The gel needs to be cured under UV light to dry. It dries quickly under the light, and is supposed to last longer than regular lacquer. In my school, though the service is advertised as "Shellac", it's not technically Shellac because we use the Gelish brand, which, as you may have guessed, is a gel. I performed a gel manicure on one 'client', but more on that later.

As a courtesy to the clients I do not personally know, I will not be using anyone's name that I don't personally know. My first client was a new-to-me older woman who came in for a basic manicure with no color. It was nice to start the whole experience off with a stranger, so I could seriously practice my interpersonal skills. It's obviously much less easy to talk to someone when all you have is small talk to jump off with.

By the end of her manicure, we were both very comfortable with each other and had exchanged stories and laughs. She also asked that I give her my name and number so she could book future appointments specifically with me, which really touched me. I took time to educate her on what I was using, and how she could help deal with her main concern, which was dry cuticles. In Colorado, that's always an uphill battle, so I gave her tips and some products to work with to keep them in good shape post-service. She was lovely.

My second client was my dear friend Chloe, who received a paraffin treatment. (She's been on Nailed It before here and here.) We had a grand ole time, and the paraffin wax was a nice touch for her since she's been using her hands regularly lately for some intramural rowing. Here's the picture of her final look (which I didn't snap a picture of in proper lighting):

I finished up the day by practicing gels on our school's receptionist, Sarah. She had some trouble with the removal of her old gel polish, so I focused on getting her nails in good shape for the new treatment. She's always in the salon, and interfaces with everyone that comes through, so it was nice to chat privately and get to know each other better. I didn't snap a picture of her final look.

So that's the second week, which flew by now that I have more than laundry to do! Besides the distinction between gel and shellac, I picked up some valuable lessons. First, I need to manage and keep an eye on the time much more closely. I'll be adding a small desk clock to my kit to place in plain sight during procedures. It's not necessary, but it's something I know will keep me focused on that pitfall in my skills.

Second, paraffin treatments do not need a lot of wax to be effective. In fact, too much can be harmful to the final result. Chloe's right hand was overly-buttered, so I had to do some extra working in to get them mixed in.

I'm also going to look into those creepy finger condoms that you can roll over one finger. Why? During my first service, I had a bandaid over my thumb, which was red and sore from a hangnail removal. It was not pleasant to look at, so I decided to cover it for the service. This wound up being too difficult to manage, especially during the massage, as the lotion simply slid the bandaid off. I consulted with my client, to see if she was comfortable with me removing the bandage, and she was. If I'd had a finger condom on, I could've simply covered it.

Now my questions for you:

• Have you had any experience with gel vs. Shellac? Do you have a favorite?
• What's your favorite part of a hand and forearm massage?
• What does your manicurist do for you that you find special among other manicurists?

As always, feel free to grill me, and I'll try my best to answer.

BOHEM Nail Jewelry - The REAL Party Nail

I'm always on the lookout for something new, something interesting as it relates to nails. Let me tell you...these are it!

I'm reviewing BOHEM nail jewelry tonight, and if you follow me on Instagram, then you're great. And you also saw a sneak peek of these fantastic pieces of solid silver. Check it out!

BOHEM nail jewelry pieces are certifiably crafted from gold, silver, or platinum. They're the real deal, stamped by the Birmingham Assay Office. Because of this, you'll pay the price (my set is £38 which translates into roughly $60). I honestly love these though, so I'm recommending you grab a set. I'm a thrifty lady, but I can honestly not say anything bad about these.

EDIT 8/22/13: A reader was worried about the sizing of these pieces, and one of the most beautiful thing about this product is their sizing guide, which I used to determine which size nail jewelry to order. Using the instructions on their site to ensure you print the right format and size, you can easily print out their sizing template, cut out the sizes they have, and then place them on your nails to ensure you order the correct size. This is downright brilliant!

All day I wore them around, washing my hands, typing, pulling my fingers through my hair, writing, and even performing a mani from start to finish in nail tech school. They encountered soap, water, oil, lotion, acetone, and alcohol (the rubbing kind). They held on tight.

Each piece is adhered to your nail via a piece of glue tab that comes with the set. Each set comes with 24 tabs, which is enough for 12 wears. Replacement tabs are available for purchase as well, so if you run low, you can order more. 

To apply them, first adhere the tabs to the back of the jewelry. Real press it down to ensure it doesn't pop off unexpectedly. I used a pencil to roll the glue tab into all available surface area. Then, after dehydrating and buffing your nail, press the piece onto your nail. Hold it there for three minutes to ensure a good seal. When you're done, make sure not to pull on the piece or get water on that finger.

The piece has a wear-time estimate of 24 hours. I am happy to report that number is true, and like I said, that was with normal wear. I may have coddled my middle finger a little more today than usual, but it took an average amount of wear and tear. I also kept tapping it on anything glass or ceramic to listen to the fantastic noise it made.

I wear ridiculous patterns on my nails all the time, but these got more attention than anything I've done in a while. People were shocked to hear it was real silver on my fingernail.

Another pro of these is that you don't need to purchase anything extra. Just buff your natural nail with the included buffer, use the glue tabs, and voila!

The design choices are all really interesting too, and span across a wide variety of styles to choose from. My design is called Lace. Here are a few of my other favorites:

Are you as smitten as I am? Would you pay that much for these? I'm happy to answer any additional questions you have. Get your own set at the BOHEM nail jewelry store online.

These products were sent to me by BOHEM. The reviews are based entirely on my experience with the products and were in no way influenced by anyone.

Winstonia August Grab Bag

New month, new grab bag!

Winstonia's August Grab Bag, available here, contains the following:

• Nail Art Ceramic Flower Charms 
• Nail Art Faux Stone Charms 
• Nail Foil Wraps, in a random design. Mine was zebra peacock...the strangest animal to ever walk the face of the planet.
• 2 bottles of nail glue 
• Eyeliner Stickers

Before I get into the details of the contents, here's my design using the ceramic flower charms!

Here's the breakdown of the nail art. My thumb, middle finger, and pinky finger are a base of Strumming My Nails (Sation) with Fairy Dust (China Glaze) on top. My ring finger is the ever-gorgeous Storm (Zoya), and the base of my index finger is Black Onyx (OPI). I painted the flower on my middle finger using Alpine Snow (OPI) and outlined it with Black Onyx.

Now let's talk details of a few of the pieces.

The ceramic nail charms aren't hard, as the word ceramic sounds (to me). They're pliable and feel a bit like Play-Doh. Each has a rhinestone in its center. The one I placed is the largest, and they get smaller from there.

The faux stones are a bit of a disappointment to me, but only because they're not flexible, and my nails are too small for them to lay flatly. Too bad. I have pretty tiny nail plates though.

I haven't tried the nail foil stickers yet, but they seem nice. And the glue is always helpful.

But okay...eyeliner stickers?! I've never heard of this before, but this clearly doesn't gain its popularity in the U.S., as indicated by the all-Japanese labeling. There's literally no English on the package, so fending for myself, I tried applying the sticker to my clean, oil-free and makeup-free eyelids. I didn't have much luck. It stuck...sort of. But it looked like a sticker on my eyeliner. Not a good look for me, so I'll spare you the pictures.

Shipment of these bags began August 12, and you can get them for just $10 with free shipping and no subscription required. Follow this link to purchase your August Grab Bag.

These products were sent to me by Winstonia. The reviews are based entirely on my experience with the products and were in no way influenced by anyone.

#NailTechNailedIt: Week 1

As you may or may not know, I'm now a nail tech student, working toward a certification as a licensed nail tech. What I'll do with that isn't quite clear yet, but the plans I have for it are wildly racing around in my head.

I enrolled in Long's Peak Academy, a beauty school offering esthetician, cosmetologist, hair stylist, and nail technology degrees in Longmont, Colorado. As I'm not interested in any other aspects of a cosmetologist career, I chose the solo nail track, but you can do all three for a full cosmetology degree if you want.

The school seems nice so far. I've only been around at night, when it's pretty empty, but it seems fine. Except when it comes to polish. My goodness is the polish color selection sad! For being an OPI-sponsored school, it seems OPI has forgotten to send out polish resupplies. There's plenty of reds and pinks, and some random colors here and there, but it's nowhere near what I was expecting. Maybe I'll send a shoutout to OPI, in the hopes they'll donate a few of their newer collections to the education cause. 

I also still haven't gotten my kit (with all the tools I need) or my books (to study for tests), so I've been borrowing supplies from the school. These shared supplies could certainly use a little TLC.

The program I chose works wonderfully for me. It's the last time this school is offering night classes since the enrollment numbers at night are low. I'm lucky enough to be one of the last to be on that track, along with my nail classmate, Rachel.

We're learning the ins and outs of all things nails through our textbook and the instruction of our teacher, Concha. We meet every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday night from 5:30 to 9:30 to work on practical and factual skills. Works wonderfully with my 9-5 job!

Even though we're only in week one, Rachel and I have already learned nail structure, health-related issues, and the basic manicure. Last night, I practiced the basic mani routine on Rachel with oversight from Concha. Here are the results (courtesy of Rachel):

I didn't use my usual angled paint brush cleanup, and didn't do much cleanup at all for that matter. It takes much longer than an at-home mani because there's soaking, massage, clipping, cuticle-pushing, and everything in between. Certainly more to it than I ever imagined!

It's so exciting for me. Since it's the only track I care about, I can really throw myself into it. Concha and Rachel are probably sick to death of my constant questions and furious note-taking.

You may think it'd be boring and tedious, but it's really insightful. Sure, I can paint nails and do designs, but what do I know about the proper procedure that is actually given on the state board exam in both practical skills and knowledge tests? Honestly...less than I thought.

One thing I'm going to have to un-learn from my years of blogging is how to properly file the nail. Apparently, the one direction technique you always hear about in the blogosphere is technically incorrect. In fact, our textbook instructs us to file from corners to center. So one side of your nail will be filed one way, and an invisible, vertical line down the middle divides the other side of your nail, where you'll file the other way. Who knew?

Well, I suppose everyone who's ever read the textbook knew.

Tomorrow will be my first full day of clinic duty. No scalpels or surgery though. The 'clinic' is what the school calls the client floor, where clients and students receive services from students. The floor is made up of plenty of hair stations, a few mani tables, a few pedi seats, and a place for facials and waxing in the back. I'll obviously be focused on a very select part of the clinic.

If you're within traveling distance of Longmont, please feel free to stop by, and ask for Katy. The more practice in the clinic we get, the better, and there needs to be a LOT of practice to meet the criteria for graduation.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have, I'm happy to answer them!

Bundle Monster Holiday Plate Review - Wedding Plate

Haven't seen stamping posts on Nailed It in a while have you? Tonight I'm reviewing one of the plates from Bundle Monster's new 2013 Holiday Plate collection.

This collection features a bunch of great plates perfect for every holiday out there, including non-Holiday holidays (e.g. baby showers and birthdays).

The collection comes with 25 plates, and 150 designs. You can see each design at the Bundle Monster site, or for real-life images, I recommend checking out Marta's review.

Today I reviewed plate BM-H22, which is a wedding themed plate. Since it's not a holiday, I wanted to use designs that were a bit more generic, and could work in any situation. I used two designs from this plate.

I had trouble getting the design on my stamper, which was obnoxious. I really had to pile on a lot of polish, and several times, to get the design to finally transfer onto the stamper. Maybe I'm just out of practice.

The skittlette look uses Mermaid's Tears (OPI), Crown Me Already! (OPI), Lick-O-Rich (Sally Hansen Sugar Coat) and Black Onyx (OPI) for the stamp.

I'll be reviewing another plate soon, inspired by Cinco de Mayo!

You can purchase this nail set from Bundle Monster here for $21.99, and check up with them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and Google+!

These products were sent to me by Bundle Monster. The reviews are based entirely on my experience with the products and were in no way influenced by anyone.

Cast your vote in the Hpnotiq Bling It On! sweepstakes

I hope you had a chance to enter the Hpnotiq Bling It On! challenge. I've been told the judging was a blast, and that Hpnotiq can't wait to announce winners. You can check out some of Hpnotiq's favorite entries for GlamLouder here. And to jog your memory, here's the look I created for the contest.

Winners from the challenges for Glammest Look, Nails, Makeup, and Shoe are in the process of competing in the final round for a chance to win the grand prize trip to go shopping with Khloe Kardashian in Los Angeles.  

Now it’s time for you to vote on the glammest of the glam to help Hpnotiq decide who is going to get the chance to be the grand prize winner and fly to LA for a makeover and photo shoot.

To cast your vote, visit the GlamLouder voting page, or visit Hpnotiq’s Facebook. If you want your favorites to win, share it with your friends and gal pals.

Voting is open from today (August 12) until August 21st, 2013.

This is a sponsored post, paid for by Hpnotiq.