OPI Start to Finish Base & Top Coat, around $10

As you know, a good base coat and top coat can help keep your nail polish looking nice for a while. I decided to try OPI's Start to Finish because it's 2-in-1: base and top coat. I love the convenience of just having the one bottle. Plus, they have this one which is Formaldehyde Free--that's always good, right?

This stuff smells a little strong but is really easy to use. OPI's amazing brush shape means that you need only one to two quick strokes to get it across your whole nail. It sweeps over your nail completely and fills in the ridges, drying quickly and cleanly. Just a couple of minutes and you're ready to put on your polish, or go out with clean, natural-looking nails.

It works nice as a top coat, too, and I've noticed that is it good at keeping my nail polish from chipping. It adds a nice glossiness that some colors lack.

Final verdict
Cost: Around $10, depending on where you buy it.
Convenience: It's nice to have the first and last steps in one bottle. The brush is wide and it dries quickly, so I'm done in no time.
Lasts: It does help in keeping my nail polish on longer.
Repeat offender: I'd buy this again. It is a little more expensive than a bottle of nail polish from OPI, but I use it with every manicure. My favorite part is that it dries quickly and evenly--perfect for my messy, impatient self!

Next week we're going to take a break from reviewing new products and instead re-post some of our faves. Have a great weekend!
-T

Sally Hansen Hard as Nails, $3

I've started to wear nail polish often, and I've found that my nails are starting to get weaker. I decided to try Sally Hansen Hard as Nails after reading favorable reviews on nail blogs. It's very reasonably priced for what it promises to do--strengthen your nails and prevent chipping, splitting, and cracking. It smells really strong, but it's very easy to put on and dries really quickly.

I've been wearing it under my nail polish for a while now. I've noticed that it acts as a really good base. No matter what color I use, it definitely stays on longer when I have this on underneath. By itself, it makes my nails look clean and shiny. And when I have it on, I feel like maybe my nails are growing stronger and breaking less. But when I take off my nail polish, I see it: peeling. This happened every time, even after clipping and filing the broken parts and trying again.

Final verdict
Cost: $3 is a good deal.
Base: It works as a really good base and keeps my polish from chipping (noticeably).
Strengthener?: I did not find it to actually strengthen my nails. Once I took my polish on, I could see my nails peeling!
Repeat offender?: I wouldn't buy this again. Part of me is tempted to keep using it because it keeps my color on for a long time, but the peeling is gross. And I have this bad habit of picking my nail polish off when I get stressed, and this stuff will take your nail along with it! I think I'm going to try taking my vitamins on a regular basis and maybe giving my nails a rest.

-T