When it comes to beauty products, I’m a no-holds-barred kind of girl. That said, I can’t get enough of all the new nail polish trends in glitzy glitter and bold shades but darker colors often require frequent applications, extra coats and a serious effort to paint inside the lines. That’s why the newest nail trend to hit drugstores, Incoco Nail Polish Strips, are right up the alley of any gal on the go.
These thin, bendable, plastic-like nail coverings are made from real polish and stick and stretch over nails for DIY applications that looks convincingly close to the real salon deal. Each oval-esque color swatch comes on a long, clear strip and contains a base coat, color and top coat.
After a few practice runs and a read over the directions, I caught on to the application quickly. First I prepped nails by filing them down to a smooth, flush surface and swiped them with a cotton ball drenched in rubbing alcohol to remove excess filing debris. I pushed back cuticles with the wooden tool provided for a larger base and to prevent premature grow-out then removed the long Nail Polish Strip sheet from its package, held up a finger and slid it across the strip until I found my closest match.
After choosing the Nail Polish Strip that fit best, I peeled off the top clear coat like a sticker, broke off the tab and placed the color strip on my nail with rounded edges against cuticle. After stretching and smoothing down until flat, I creased off excess strip with my nail and filed away excess carefully without ripping the rest of the Nail Polish Strip. Even though the color was fixed tightly on my nail, I just couldn’t help myself and rebelled against the directions by adding a thin layer of clear topcoat just to make sure everything was firmly cemented on (it just seemed too easy!).
My Incoco mani lasted more than a week, which was shocking considering my chip, pick and peel track record that usually requires new application within a few days. Because the Nail Polish Strips go on in one easy step, I didn’t have to wait out dry time between coats, hassle with wiping excess polish from cuticles and strips were streak and bubble free. Plus, after a recent tragically bright pink polish spill on my white carpet, which forced an even more tragic Pottery Barn cover up rug splurge, I didn’t have to fret about spills or splatters. Best of all, Nail Polish Strips come in a rainbow of colors from light, bright, moody dark and even glitter. Each pack contains 16 strips to ensure the perfect fit and leave room for plenty of practice.
Check out the quick, how-to-apply video and purchase Incoco Nail Polish Strips for about $7.99 per pack at incoco.com.
(P.S., We can’t help but mention at the time of this post, Spa Girl Carolyn is currently sporting the Ruby Shoes red glitter Incoco nails — a great look for holiday parties but a little much for a Tuesday afternoon at the office!)
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