The Budget Babe | Affordable Fashion & Style Blog

Top Beauty Pick: The Best Nail Polish for Summer



Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear Nail Polish in Chocolate Nut, $2.59 at Walgreens.com

by The Budget Babe's Beauty Expert
There's nothing like a great manicure and pedicure for the summer, but with mannies and peddies running quite a pretty penny at reputable salons, we prefer to polish at home.

But wait, you say, Isn’t the time and effort of redoing home manicures not worth it? Don’t your home pedicures chip off within hours?

Nope, not anymore. This summer, I’ve been sporting the many shades (over 30 in fact) of Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear Nail Polish. My personal fave for summer is Chocolate Nut—delicious!

Get this, budget babes: I gave myself a pedicure with this stuff, did not apply a topcoat, and then went swimming every day for two weeks (pool + chlorine = bye-bye nail polish) and yet my toes still look just as fab as the day I did them! Unbelievable, but true.

Now here's the really exciting part: it's only $2.59 a bottle!

Keeping you lovely for less,

The Budget Beauty Babe
XOXO


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Comments
summer's also a great time to just wear fun colors. try OPI's 'teal the cows come home' - turquoise frost, really a pretty color. you imagine yourself sitting in a taverna in santorini overlooking the aegean!

another great color is by Essie, called carousel coral. this stuff just does not chip. gorgeous coral color, goes with all your summer faves.

Here's some tips on home manicures:
- A good base coat is essential. We like Maybelline's Express Finish. (We find top coats to be a waste of money.)
- Apply 2 coats of polish. make sure each coat dries before applying the next - otherwise you get bubbles.
- On those steamy dog days, put your polish in the fridge. it will keep it from getting lumpy.
- When you're touching up, apply the polish vertically across the tip of the nail. Don't know why, but this works better. (Do not apply on the entire nail, just the chipped bits.)
- When applying dark colors, leave room on the sides of the nail (don't apply all the way to the skin). This will make your fingers look longer and slimmer. Very glam.
- Before going to bed, apply a little vaseline around your cuticles on toes and fingers. When you wake up you'll see how nice your nails look. Trust Fifi on this one.
:-)
#1 Fifi LaMode on 2007-07-30 08:25 (Reply)
I'm directionally-challenged. I meant to say 'apply HORIZONTALLY across the tips of the nails', not VERTICALLY.
:-)
#1.1 Fifi LaMode on 2007-07-30 13:25 (Reply)
another thing to remember about manicures, especially when wearing dark colors: there's absolutely no excuse for chipped nails. touch-ups take 30 seconds. when i have dark polish on, i keep the bottle at work just in case.

when you wash dishes or do housework, wear rubber gloves. keeps the polish from wearing off.
:-)
#2 maggiez on 2007-07-31 09:10 (Reply)
Maybe it's just us, but we think giving yourself a pedi is actually not a half-bad bad workout. Ya know, you have to stretch and bend and twist every which way, while practicing balance and proper breathing. Good times!
#2.1 The Budget Babe on 2007-07-31 11:32 (Reply)
i absolutely agree (and you save $25!). plus, from a health point of view, there have been programs on tv about people getting all sorts of infections at nail salons.
:-)
#2.1.1 maggie z on 2007-07-31 11:44 (Reply)
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