The Gel Nail Polish - Essence

If there is one item that I always struggle to find on the Cruelty Free market it is nail polish. When you do come across it the polish is usually of poor quality, which causes it to streak, chip and just not last. 

Because I work with my hands the dream of perfectly manicured nails have always been a tad bit unrealistic. In the same class as fitting into that size 34 bikini that I wore in high school. (A girl is allowed to dream, darn it!) Even the best brands of nail polish would chip after a maximum of two days. 

Thus you could understand my skepticism when rumors started doing the rounds. Rumors about a miraculous nail product that act like gel nails, without the time consumption and expense. Having had gel nails when I was younger, I found them thick, clunky and not really attractive. But oh so long lasting! Perfect for growing out your nails. I kept telling myself that there is no way that a silly little nail polish could pack the punch of gel nails. But curiosity got the better of me. 

Because of my current strict budget, the brands that we think of as best of their kind, was not an option for me. Wandering through Clicks I spotted gel nail polish in a bright display that I would not generally approach. A display that screams 16 year old girl. (Lets face it, even as a 16 year old girl crazy bright displays made me run the opposite direction.) But it was gel nail polish! Affordable gel nail polish! 

I decided to try the polish in a dark red that matches my signature shades. Since I paid under R30.00 for an 8ml bottle of nail polish I decided to invest in the clear top coat as well. 

The application process was a breeze. Just as easy as any other nail polish on the market. Two color coats and one or two top coats, depending on your preference. I wait approximately 15 minutes between each coat for the nail polish to dry properly. The only down side of the color nail polish is that the 8ml does seem awfully little for such a thick nail polish. After only 4 applications I need to go buy a new bottle. (Yes, I shouldn't complain, its not as if I am bankrupting myself.) I have noticed that when I give my nails a slight buff with only the rough part of a nail buffer, the nail polish stays on much longer. 

The only  problem after application is the chipping. This polish is tough as nails, however, when it does chip, it will remove serious chunks of nail polish at a time. This is because the polish is much thicker and harder than traditional nail polish. So please don't think that you will now be able to Super Woman it when doing the dishes or laundry. Please still use gloves to protect your hands and nails. 

Unlike gel nails, it looks like normal nail polish. None of that clunkyness that I absolutely despise. Like gel nails it has that newly applied shine until the day you remove it. 

My schedule only permits me to really pay attention to my nails once a week. Writing this 5 days after I applied my nail polish, everything is still in pristine condition. Including my one nail that always breaks when it starts to become reasonably long. (I broke the finger working with horses and its has just never been the same.) During the nail shaping process it started to become damaged, but I have covered it up and the damage is staying minimal. At this rate I might be able to file the damaged part out when its longer! 

Removal is just as easy as traditional nail polish. Use your normal nail polish. Your normal process. None of the trauma or damage involved with removing gel. 

At R22.95 to R29.95 a bottle of nail polish, this product is an absolute steal. It has made me look at the Essence brand of products in a brand new light. Especially when I realized what a fun, cruelty free company they are. I honestly can't wait to try out some of their other products! 

Available at most Clicks and Dischem stores, the nail polish is easy to find and perfectly affordable. 

What do I learn out of this lesson? Don't judge a book by its cover. Even when that cover is so bright it is blinding.

http://www.essence.eu/za/products/nails/nail-polish/e/product/the-gel-nail-polish-14/
http://dischem.co.za/product-view/70349/essence-the-gel-nail-polish-14

Fudge Paintbox

This product was my first experience with alternative hair color. Since I was still very inexperienced on the subject I left the type of product in my hairdressers hands. 

As with the majority of these hair colors the Paintbox range is a conditioning, cruelty free product.

The range contains approximately 9 semi permanent colors. As they are continuously changing  colors, they never seem to have all the shades listed on their website. (They have approximately 14 colors listed.)

The hair color comes in a fun little tube. I find this form of packaging the most practical by far when it comes to hair color products. You can easily squeeze the last bit out of the container without much of a hassle. 

The down side of the tube? Its only 75ml. Thus it took about 6 tubes to cover all my hair. For short hair this is very affordable. For long, thick hair, not so much. 

As with all these colors the best is to strip your hair of color. I prefer using bleach since my hair is tough as nails and very stubborn. If you apply the darker shades over dark hair you will end up with  hair with a slight ever so unconventional shine. The best for this option would be the reds, blues and purples. Don't expect to put something like Pink Moon or Blue Hawaii over your dark locks. It will not take. No, you won't miraculously end up with pastel or light, bright hair. Even when using the light colors on light hair you have to be very meticulous as they take far longer to set. 

I used Electric Blue and Blue Velvet. My hair dresser left it in my hair for approximately 2 hours. The result was vibrant blue hair. With my after care I would re-color and leave it in for 3 hours minimum. 

As vibrant as this brand is, and as much as I loved it, the Paintbox colors have one thing against them. They really are semi-permanent. After my first dreaded wash my bleached roots already showed. By my second wash my hair started to fade drastically. By my third wash I had to re-color my hair. It didn't fade to the underlying tones, it just washed out to reveal the bleached white hair underneath. 

Thus, if you want a fun splash of color over the holiday, with the added bonus that it will wash out fast, Paintbox is your best bet. Unless you have the budget to re-color your hair every 3 weeks, I would not recommend this product for use over long periods of time. 

At R105.00 a tube from selected stockists, Paintbox is definitely one of the more affordable options. However, it is incredibly difficult to find a supplier. Mix in the limited amount of colors, this is definitely not my preferred product. 

https://www.fudgehair.co.uk/paintbox/fudge-paintbox-extreme-colours 
http://www.shopbot.co.za/fudge-hair-products/price/south-africa/327222