Essie Sleek Stick Nail Appliqué Review

Last week, I found myself in CVS for some necessities, but, as usual, found myself perusing the cosmetics/skincare area of the store.  Having successfully convinced myself not to purchase anything extra for a change, I started to head toward the checkout.  It was at this point that something new and unfamiliar caught my eye.

Essie Sleek Stick Nail Appliqués

So I picked up a set in Over the Moon, a kind of gray-mauve with a smattering of cool silver dots near the nail bed.

I prepped my nails as suggested, and then went ahead and applied.  The stickers are, according to the packaging, UV cured, with the idea being that they are as durable as a no-chip manicure.

I found them relatively easy to apply accurately, although one of my nails stubbornly refused to let me put the sticker on correctly (but I'm pretty sure that has more to do with the deficiencies and shape of my own nail).  As you can see, they're pretty nifty looking once they're on, and the variety in sizes means I got at least a pretty good fit for each finger.

So, did it last?  Well, kind of.  The appliqués certainly don't live up to the standards of a good no-chip manicure, which I know from personal experience last at least ten days with no visible signs of wear.  After only three days of wear, the tips are unattractively shredded, enough that I'm going to remove them and use some good old fashioned glitter polish to brighten my day.

Not my fave look.

All in all, for $10, I wouldn't make this a regular habit just based on how quickly they look raggedy, but to jazz up my nails for a fun night out, or just a new and different look that I totally couldn't replicate on my own, I'll definitely look toward these snazzy new patterns.

If any of you have tried this product and found a way to make it last longer, do let me know!  Happy New Year to everyone!