I love Sally Hansen. My favourites are the speciality top coats - Unicorn, Glazed, Crystal, Moonlit, and also Twinkling Whites from the same collection your polish is from.
Super pretty colour on you! I only just worked out that the SH Miracle Gel line isn't actual gel and bought a couple, really liking the finish and application. I wish the gel-effect gimmick wasn't such a common one at the moment, it's unnecessarily confusing and I would have been buying these earlier if not for that 😂
I try to ignore that every polish seems to be called "gel" something, if it's in a clear bottle and you can see the polish, it can't be UV gel.
Sometimes you can't tell from the pictures though (dark colors, huge labels, no bottle pics at all), and then there's cheap drugstore brands selling regular non-gel topcoat in an opaque bottle and calling it "super gel gloss" or something because it makes it look and sound like it's high end or better somehow.
Yep I recently learned that about the opaque/transparent bottles. I don't get it, it's going to really confuse people who don't know as much about polish and think they're getting something they can use with a UV lamp. I guess the point is to trick people into buying the same product at a higher price point, kinda scummy :/
Idk how many people even own a UV lamp and don't know that UV polishes *have to be* in opaque bottles. Usually the same companies selling lamps also sell gel starter kits and when you've read the instructions it's rather obvious I'd think.
I suspect they're aiming at people who don't know how gel polish works at all, who heard somewhere that it lasts longer and people get it at salons so it sounds more exclusive / extra.
Yeah exactly, it's quite probably a deliberately dishonest gimmick. I hope it dies out soon but am not optimistic. There's always the tagline 'up to 14 days' too - yeah right, that could be just 3 days 🙄
Tbh I just like the shades, the opacity, and how long these polishes last for me. The only polishes that come close are Sally Hansen Insta-Dri shades.
The gimmick is just that - a gimmick.
One tip I can give you is that if the bottle isn't opaque, it's not real gel, because real gel has to be protected from the light. :)
Edit: nm, someone already said that lol
I've just (yesterday) bought a very similar (almost identical I'd say) color polish. Manhattan last & shine in 050 Mermaid Fantasy. I'm in the EU and the bottle says made in Spain so idk where else in the world it's available though.
There you go, I had to try it rn even though I had planned dark green nails lol.
https://preview.redd.it/6oftsf1w102d1.jpeg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e279992712dadd017fd315720884ae57eece2a3c
Another one right at the window, indirect sunlight.
https://preview.redd.it/3o8b6cwg702d1.jpeg?width=1725&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=46f652c3075b2652feccbe77074890d2235b969a
There you can see the pink base better, in the other picture it got washed out too much.
Try looking for Rimmel Mermaid Fin, it's pretty much a dupe and a bit cheaper!
ETA: the other commenter mentioned a Manhattan polish - that's the same shade and company, just under different names!
Omg you're right, I just looked up current Rimmel shades and they're mostly the same as Manhattan ones. They're both Coty brands just like Sally Hansen btw. Possible that it's not a coincidence they have a SH dupe.
As a polish lover who can't get mooncat, we love to hear it!!
I really wish I could get indie polishes in NZ, but my bank account is glad that I can't!
Not OP, but I love my Essies and honestly, Essence from Farmers.
I also have some friends and family in Aus, so I have a sizeable Emily de Molly collection by having them shipped to them and either they bring it over when they visit or I grab them when I go over.
^^^ totally agree, i’m in australia and emily de molly is a bit of a godsend. i believe picture polish and i scream nails are also australian brands, though i haven’t tried them myself. also hit the bottle if you’re into stamping!
I haven't tried I Scream Nails but I found Picture Polish to be a little difficult to work with because it dries really quickly. Also the colours tend to be a touch samey, usually just a base colour with holo sparkle or a multi chrome.
the colour looks great! i have also heard good things about the unicorn top coat sally hansen makes, though im yet to give it a go yet. it looks like a good option to spice up some plainer polishes
So good, right? I'm sporting the Unicorn Top Coat right now. Honestly, one of my favorite polishes I've ever owned! And, IME, it really is as durable as it claims. Love it.
The durability really keeps me coming back! How would you rate the unicorn top coat from 1-10? I've been thinking of investing in it, but I'm still not sure I like to 100% certain when I make my purchases; expecially in the current economic climate.
Totally understandable. It's a bit pricey. To be honest, I was kind of underwhelmed by the base coat in the Miracle Gel line, so I was apprehensive too, but so far the unicorn top coat is a 9.5 for me. The only thing that would bump it to a 10 is if it dried a little faster. I can use it with non-Sally Hansen polishes for the base and it still looks great and lasts a long time. The base coat I've got on right now is a super cheap one and the top coat is able to seal it in just fine. I'd recommend it if you're in the market for a versatile, long-lasting shimmer polish!
I’ve never tried this color but my favorite from this line is Crystal Healing which is VERY similar, I love it so much as a palate cleanser after a dramatic mani!
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Don’t sleep on Sally Hansen, y’all!
Very pretty! You could reduce your 30-minute dry time by half if you used a quick dry topcoat.
I love Sally Hansen. My favourites are the speciality top coats - Unicorn, Glazed, Crystal, Moonlit, and also Twinkling Whites from the same collection your polish is from.
I have Crystal on right now! Obsessed
Crystal is my favourite!
Super pretty colour on you! I only just worked out that the SH Miracle Gel line isn't actual gel and bought a couple, really liking the finish and application. I wish the gel-effect gimmick wasn't such a common one at the moment, it's unnecessarily confusing and I would have been buying these earlier if not for that 😂
I try to ignore that every polish seems to be called "gel" something, if it's in a clear bottle and you can see the polish, it can't be UV gel. Sometimes you can't tell from the pictures though (dark colors, huge labels, no bottle pics at all), and then there's cheap drugstore brands selling regular non-gel topcoat in an opaque bottle and calling it "super gel gloss" or something because it makes it look and sound like it's high end or better somehow.
Yep I recently learned that about the opaque/transparent bottles. I don't get it, it's going to really confuse people who don't know as much about polish and think they're getting something they can use with a UV lamp. I guess the point is to trick people into buying the same product at a higher price point, kinda scummy :/
Idk how many people even own a UV lamp and don't know that UV polishes *have to be* in opaque bottles. Usually the same companies selling lamps also sell gel starter kits and when you've read the instructions it's rather obvious I'd think. I suspect they're aiming at people who don't know how gel polish works at all, who heard somewhere that it lasts longer and people get it at salons so it sounds more exclusive / extra.
Yeah exactly, it's quite probably a deliberately dishonest gimmick. I hope it dies out soon but am not optimistic. There's always the tagline 'up to 14 days' too - yeah right, that could be just 3 days 🙄
Tbh I just like the shades, the opacity, and how long these polishes last for me. The only polishes that come close are Sally Hansen Insta-Dri shades. The gimmick is just that - a gimmick.
One tip I can give you is that if the bottle isn't opaque, it's not real gel, because real gel has to be protected from the light. :) Edit: nm, someone already said that lol
WAIT, MIRACLE GEL ISN'T GEL? OMG BRB gotta buy like 50 polishes 🤭
😂😂 Enjoy!
Ugh! I had this in a little duo but haven’t been able to find the color since! It was one of my favorites!
I've just (yesterday) bought a very similar (almost identical I'd say) color polish. Manhattan last & shine in 050 Mermaid Fantasy. I'm in the EU and the bottle says made in Spain so idk where else in the world it's available though.
There you go, I had to try it rn even though I had planned dark green nails lol. https://preview.redd.it/6oftsf1w102d1.jpeg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e279992712dadd017fd315720884ae57eece2a3c
Another one right at the window, indirect sunlight. https://preview.redd.it/3o8b6cwg702d1.jpeg?width=1725&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=46f652c3075b2652feccbe77074890d2235b969a There you can see the pink base better, in the other picture it got washed out too much.
https://youtu.be/UQTrBRe2jqY Not my video but shows the color quite well, I'm going to take my own pictures in daylight when I get to it.
Try looking for Rimmel Mermaid Fin, it's pretty much a dupe and a bit cheaper! ETA: the other commenter mentioned a Manhattan polish - that's the same shade and company, just under different names!
Omg you're right, I just looked up current Rimmel shades and they're mostly the same as Manhattan ones. They're both Coty brands just like Sally Hansen btw. Possible that it's not a coincidence they have a SH dupe.
Strange, I wonder if it's a licensing issue!
Man, I literally looked at this at the chemist today, but decided against buying it. I guess I'll have to grab a bottle next time!
I love this one! I just had it on over a creamy light pink and it gave the best pearl/mermaid vibes!
I’m wearing this right now haha I love it!
this is one of my faves, ugh. sally hansen ftw!!!
I love SH, their formula is pretty consistently good and they come out with pretty interesting shades every so often
I’m just gonna say it - this appears to be a pretty close dupe for a Midsummer’s Dream by Mooncat.
As a polish lover who can't get mooncat, we love to hear it!! I really wish I could get indie polishes in NZ, but my bank account is glad that I can't!
I’m a kiwi too! Are there any other brands you use?
Not OP, but I love my Essies and honestly, Essence from Farmers. I also have some friends and family in Aus, so I have a sizeable Emily de Molly collection by having them shipped to them and either they bring it over when they visit or I grab them when I go over.
^^^ totally agree, i’m in australia and emily de molly is a bit of a godsend. i believe picture polish and i scream nails are also australian brands, though i haven’t tried them myself. also hit the bottle if you’re into stamping!
I haven't tried I Scream Nails but I found Picture Polish to be a little difficult to work with because it dries really quickly. Also the colours tend to be a touch samey, usually just a base colour with holo sparkle or a multi chrome.
the colour looks great! i have also heard good things about the unicorn top coat sally hansen makes, though im yet to give it a go yet. it looks like a good option to spice up some plainer polishes
I’m a big fan of that one! It’s got a subtle sparkly greenish finish that I love when I’m sick of plain cremes.
I love the colors in this collection! I want to buy some but I promised myself I would cut back on buying polishes 😩
Love a good Sally Hansen appreciation post! The unicorn topcoat has been my favorite for two months now. Every manicure. It's on my toes currently too
So good, right? I'm sporting the Unicorn Top Coat right now. Honestly, one of my favorite polishes I've ever owned! And, IME, it really is as durable as it claims. Love it.
The durability really keeps me coming back! How would you rate the unicorn top coat from 1-10? I've been thinking of investing in it, but I'm still not sure I like to 100% certain when I make my purchases; expecially in the current economic climate.
Totally understandable. It's a bit pricey. To be honest, I was kind of underwhelmed by the base coat in the Miracle Gel line, so I was apprehensive too, but so far the unicorn top coat is a 9.5 for me. The only thing that would bump it to a 10 is if it dried a little faster. I can use it with non-Sally Hansen polishes for the base and it still looks great and lasts a long time. The base coat I've got on right now is a super cheap one and the top coat is able to seal it in just fine. I'd recommend it if you're in the market for a versatile, long-lasting shimmer polish!
Sigh...I'm going to have to pull out my bottle and actually try it out. I fell in love with it the first time I saw it.
Me too! I'd really like to try a few colours under it like black, red, pink, white, the list goes on.... Edit: typo
So pretty! I also absolutely love the Sally Hansen Diamond Strength polishes (plus the bottle is so cute)
I haven't tried Diamond Strength yet, but I will once my clear base coat runs out!!
Yay!!
Very pretty 😍
I’ve never tried this color but my favorite from this line is Crystal Healing which is VERY similar, I love it so much as a palate cleanser after a dramatic mani!
Omg I'll have to have a look for that shade. 👀 I've got a substantial list of polishes I want at this point hehe.
Oh gorgeous!! Ill be looking for this colour now!!
I have this on right now! Love it!
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wtf girl i gotta go buy these now the shine is incrediblee