Orly Breathable Swatches & Review

Orly Beauty has come out with a new line of nail polish that features a unique all-in-one formula they are calling Orly Breathable Treatment + Color. This polish is designed to be used alone, without a base or top coat. It has several nourishing ingredients including argan oil, vitamins B5 & C, and "advanced oxygen technology" which allow air and hydration to get through to the nail.

Press Sample

We all know our nails don't need to "breathe", as they are dead keratin cells, but the idea is for the nail structure and skin under the nail to have access to constant hydration and oxygen. The brand claims this can promote healthier, thicker, and more hydrated nails. And with the all-in-one formula, there is less time spent on a manicure and there are claims of less chipping and longer lasting polish. These are also Halal compliant for those that observe. I found these to dry a little quicker than regular polish and they also left a very shiny finish. I did not test them for wear time.

Barely There is a pale off white crème. I found the thicker, rounded brush helped greatly in application, though it was still a tiny bit streaky on two coats. I used three for full coverage.

Just Breathe is a purple periwinkle with a scattering of flecky shimmer. These both seemed thick at first glance, but upon application they are not. This applied easily and was opaque in two coats.

Orly Breathable Treatment + Color will be available in 18 shades September 2016 and retails for $8.99 each and will be available ULTA, JC Penney, salons nationwide and at the Orly Beauty website. So what do you think about this new type of treatment polish? Would you use it?

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

OPI Nail Envy Strength In Color Collection Swatches & Review

Good day to you my friend! I hope your week is starting out well! Today I have some new products from OPI to show you. They have taken their popular nail treatment Nail Envy and added a twist by giving them color, calling them Strength In Color. This is a great idea for anyone who wants to have a strengthening protective treatment and polish color without an extra step. Let's see what shades they chose!

Press Sample

Bubble Bath is an iconic SoftShade from OPI, a soft delicate milky pink. I have the original version and I enjoy it very much. This is three coats for a more opaque look, but you can stop at two for a more natural take. I didn't use topcoat because it retains shine quite nicely.

Next is Hawaiian Orchid, a creamy neutral pink mauve. I love that they chose this shade for inclusion in this collection, it's very popular and so wearable. Great formula, I only needed two coats for full opacity.

Pink To Envy is a new 'shade', a slightly pink tinted clear. The original Nail Envy is more milky so I get them wanting to make a clear version of it. You probably can't tell other than the shine, but I've got one coat on here.

And last is Samoan Sand, another much favored SoftShade from OPI's core collection. This is a pale sandy beige. I actually can't believe I didn't have the original version of this, it's a great neutral! Three coats here. Dries a bit darker than it looks in the bottle.

These new Nail Envy Strength In Color shades are available now at places like Ulta, JCPenney Salons and Sally Beauty Supply, retailing for $17.95 in the US and $22.50 in Canada. What do you think of this twist on a nail treatment? Do you use Nail Envy? I know lots of gals who swear by it!

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

My Updated Nail & Hand Care Essentials

Hi friends! I wrote a post about my favorite nail & hand care items last year, which you can see here, but I wanted to update it for you with some of the different products I've been using lately and supplementing my routine with. Since I've been under the weather, and dealing with some family health issues, (not to mention the actual weather has been rather crappy lately) I haven't had a chance to swatch very much but I will be back with some soon!

Press Sample | Purchased by Me

Nail Primers - I use these to prep my nails for polish, they remove all remnants of oil before a base coat.

KBShimmer pH Balancing Pre-Polish Nail Treatment is the one I've been using pretty much exclusively since I first tried it. Works really well and is affordable. $5, www.kbshimmer.com

Orly Primetime is an old favorite. I still reach for it when I run out of the KBShimmer, but I prefer the former because of the brush width. $10, www.orlybeauty.com


Base Coats/Treatments - I'm looking for stain prevention and a moderate amount of staying power from my base coat. I change my polish often so I don't need a base coat that guarantees a month of chip free nails (as if, haha).

Nail Tek Citra I Formaldehyde Free for Strong, Healthy Nails is my current favorite. I bought it on my trip to California this March while shopping with Jen The PolishAholic. I don't need strengtheners but I wanted some extra protection. This protects my nails and wears well by itself or under polish. $15, www.ulta.com

SuperChic Lacquer Bring It On! base coat is a new product I got for review not too long ago. This base coat is supposed to totally prevent staining and so far, I can say it lives up to the claims! I love that it dries matte and very fast. $6.50, www.superchiclacquer.com

Pretty Serious Force Field Protective Base Coat is a new-ish product from Pretty Serious that I bought recently. This is a good everyday type of clear base coat with great protection against staining. $8.95, www.pretty-serious.com

Butter London Nail Foundation is more of a splurge. It's a nude colored ridge-filling base coat. This is pricey so I don't use it all that often, but I do really like it for sheer colors to camouflage my nail beds a little. $19, www.butterlondon.com


Top Coats - I'm always on the hunt for the next best top coat of life. I like them to dry very fast, be shiny, and not shrink or pull at my polish. These are all great and I use them all depending on what mood I'm in.

KBShimmer Clearly On Top Quick Dry Top Coat - $5, www.kbshimmer.com

Glisten & Glow HK Girl Top Coat - $6.95, http://glistenandglow.bigcartel.com/

SuperChic Lacquer Marvel Liquid Macro - $6.50, www.superchiclacquer.com (image via laceandlacquers.com)


Cuticle Oils - This is an essential part of my life now, since I started using them religiously last year. I cannot be without it, I use it multiple times a day! These are all really good options.

Bliss Kiss Pure Nail Oil - The one that started it all. The 'crisp' scent is my favorite! $5.99-$19.99, www.nailcarehq.com

Sweet Baby by Donna - The recent contender for the top spot. The 'pink sugar' scent is basically crack to me! $6-$10.75, www.etsy.com/shop/SweetBabybyDonna

KBShimmer Cuticle Oil is another awesome one I've been using on and off for a long time, again in 'pink sugar'. $6, www.kbshimmer.com

Sunny's Body Products Cuticle Oil - This lady has some excellent products, the two types of oils she makes are seriously amazing. She has a monumental amount of scents to choose from, but again my pick has to be 'pink sugar'! $6-$8, www.365daysofcolorpolishes.com


Cuticle/Stain Remover - I've been laying off the cuticle removers almost completely and my cuticles seem even better than they have been so it looks like something I can go easy on or avoid completely.

Orly Cutique is a gentle cuticle remover but I mostly use it if I get some errant staining on my nails or cuticles and it does the trick, like magic! $10, www.orlybeauty.com

Hand Sanitizer - I work in a busy office with lots of people coming and going so I use sanitizer like crazy!

Fortune Cookie Soap OCD hand sanitizer is excellent, non-drying and comes in a ton of amazing scents! I can't get enough of this stuff! My favorite scent right now is Kiss, it smells like sweet tarts! $2.89-$6.49, www.fortunecookiesoap.com


Moisturizer - I cannot stand to have my hands feel dry so I'm always using some product or other on them to keep the moisture in.

Fortune Cookie Soap Whipped Cream is holy grail status for me. So creamy, really moisturizing but not greasy, sinks in quickly and a lot of fabulous scents to choose from. One of my favorites is fruity Polyjuice Potion. $10.99-$16.49, www.fortunecookiesoap.com

KBShimmer lotion, I've spoken about my love for this product in the past, great all over lotion. The 'pink sugar' scent rules again! $10, www.kbshimmer.com


Exfoliating Scrub - I'm a recent convert to scrubs, they're such a nice addition to my routine. I use them all over, elbows, hands, feet, yay!

KBShimmer Sugar Scrub is so good! I love that it's gentle but still coarse enough to actually get the job done! I also really appreciate that all the little bits dissolve and don't stick around my tub and ruin my baths ;) $10, www.kbshimmer.com


Fingernail Polish Remover - I need something to work well, fast, and not turn my hands into the sahara desert!

Onyx Professional Nail Polish Remover Moisturizing Formula Lavender, I found this in Walmart a few months ago and I just adore it. Reminds me of the one available in Sally Beauty Supply stores, but I don't have one of them close to me so this is a great option for me, plus it's really affordable. $2.48, www.walmart.com

Zoya Remove is an old favorite, I still buy this whenever I place a Zoya order or am by an Ulta, because it's a nice strong remover but is still gentle. $9.99, www.zoya.com

Oh and a side note, I do still use plain 100% acetone to clean up with and to help with stubborn glitter polish.

There you have it folks! *phew* I sure do use a lot of junk on my hands huh haha. I am still looking for a good SPF to protect my hands without making them greasy. Ugh, I despise sunscreen in all forms, but I know I need to use it. Let me know your favorite products for hand/nail care! Have you tried any of my picks?

❤ Kellie

Some of the products mentioned were provided for an honest review; others were purchased by me. Photos are from the respective companies' websites.

Fortune Cookie Soap Cuticle Butter Review

What's up folks? I know I just reviewed a cuticle butter the other day, but I actually have another one to tell you about already! The company it's from is called Fortune Cookie Soap, you may have heard of them because they're pretty popular online, but I just discovered them. They're a bath & body company whose signature product is soap shaped like fortune cookies! They have lots of amazing scents with really fun themes like Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Alice in Wonderland, etc. They have tons of products like bath bombs, shampoo bars, body wash, bath salts, leave-in conditioner, perfume oil etc.

Affiliate Link

image via FCS

Fortune Cookie Soap puts out a subscription "soap box" previewing the different themes of their major collections every quarter of the year; their most recent was the Spring "Wonderland" box. I had just heard of them from a YouTube video before the box came out and was lucky to be able to sign up for it before they sold out. I'll have to do a full review of the next box I get, let me know if you'd be interested in that!

The cuticle butter I purchased comes in a 0.8 oz jar for $8.95. The ingredients are: "Shea Butter, Beeswax, Organic Coconut Oil, Lanolin, Soya Oil, Cold Pressed Avocado Oil, Mango Butter, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Castor Oil, Olive Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Vitamin E, and Fragrance." It seems like a very little amount in the jar, but you seriously only need to touch your finger to it to get enough for a few fingers so I know it will last a long time. It's thick and stiff at first touch (heh heh) but melts instantly into a rich oily texture when applied. It does stay greasy for longer than I would normally care for, so it might be better suited for a nighttime treatment.

image via FCS

I got it in the scent Twisted Tea Party, from the Wonderland collection. It's described as "a light, refreshing, green tea with notes of sweet herbs, vanilla bean, cucumber, golden amber, and hints of neroli and geranium, stirred with a bright sprig of spearmint." I am addicted to this scent, so I end up using it all throughout the day even though it's more oily than I prefer, just so I can smell it! I usually rub it in, wait a few minutes, then rub it in again, which helps it sink in faster. I just placed another order to get one in the Off With Their Heads! scent, which smells like roses and lemons :D

They also do lots of little collections in between the large ones that the "soap box" previews; their newest is an Easter theme. You can purchase their products from www.fortunecookiesoap.com. Stuff sells out fast but they do lots of restocks. Let me know if you've ever tried this brand before, I think it's just the coolest!

A special treat if you are ordering for the first time, you can get $5 off a minimum order of $30 using my referral link: http://r.sloyalty.com/r/u3Swp30VtTsE. You must using the special coupon code the website shows you to get the $5 off. (I only get points if you use the link, not money. :) )

Until we meet again!

❤ Kellie

Some of the above links are affiliates.

Nail Butter - Nail Treatment Review

Hi super friends! Today I have for you a review of a nail treatment that I've been trying and testing for about a month called Nail Butter. I had heard about this product from a few of the blogs I read and some of the folks I follow on Instagram so I was eager to try it.

Press Sample

This product is supposed to soften and fortify all types of skin. It's all-natural and contains essential oils and lanolin. Nail Butter is used to "strengthen and rejuvenate nails by enhancing growth and maintaining optimal moisture levels for your nails and skin". They say to rub on a small amount twice a day for 30 days and then once a day thereafter. It comes in a round glass jar that is classy looking and feels substantial.

I quite like the texture and consistency of this product, it really is butter-like. I was happy to find out that it sinks in relatively quickly so you aren't left greased up for more than a few minutes. The scent is very different. It's gardenia scented, which I usually like, but the mix of the other ingredients with it makes it smell odd to me and it's quite strong. I really didn't care for it at first, but found it dissipated in strength after I used it a few times.  I still wouldn't say I like the scent to be honest, but I got used to it quickly. I have heard inklings that the maker is coming out with an unscented version soon though.

I have not included before and after photos because there's not really a visible difference to show you. My nails and cuticles were in great shape before I used this product and they remain so after. I normally use cuticle oils and lotion all day long, so adding this product into my routine morning and night really just reinforced the moisture and healthy appearance of my nails and cuticles. I like the product and feel it is a luxurious and worthwhile treatment that I look forward to using. If your cuticle game needs some help, I would definitely recommend Nail Butter to help get you on track!

You can purchase this product at NailButter.com for $24 for a one-ounce jar. You only have to use a small amount for each application so it should last you a long time. You can follow Nail Butter on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest to keep up with product news. So what do you think? Have you tried this product yet or are you interested in trying it? What do you use to keep your nails and cuticles healthy and on point?

Talk to you again soon!

❤ Kellie

The products mentioned were provided for an honest review.

KBShimmer Nail Care Trio

Hi there! Today I wanted to review some nail care products for you from KBShimmer. They make bath and body products as well as nail polish, some of which I have recently reviewed for you. I wanted to give an in-depth review of the three nail treatments they produce also so here it is.

Press Sample | Purchased

Nail Prep pH balancing pre-polish nail treatment is a liquid nail prep to be used before polishing your nails. It helps balance the pH of your nail to allow your polish to adhere better. I like it because I usually have some type of cuticle oil or balm on so it remove that moisture before I put on my base coat. I am a big fan of this, I prefer it to my Orly Primetime because it seems to dry a little faster and does a better job at dehydrating the nail plate which prevents chips.

The Basic Training nail polish base coat works "like double sided sticky tape" by adhering to the nail plate and to the polish you put on top of it. It works to keep your nail polish on while also helps prevent staining. I found this to be a fine base coat, working in a similar manner to my go-to Orly Bonder.

And last is the Clearly On Top quick dry top coat. I have talked about many top coats before and how I feel like they are incredibly personal to each individual, with different body chemistry comes different results in my opinion. I found it to dry quickly, cover nicely with shiny results. However, this tends to bubble for me quite often which isn't ideal. I've heard from many others that it works perfectly for them without bubbling but like I said, everyone's chemistry is a little different. This is the only treatment from them I probably wouldn't repurchase. This is 2-free which means it does contain DBP but does not have any formaldehyde/formaldehyde resin or toluene, similar to my current favorite HK Girl.

I love that all of these are priced at $5 for a full size bottle which you can get on the KBShimmer website or Etsy store. They are cheaper than a lot of nail treatments on the market and they work! Have you ever tried any of these products before? What did you think of them? See ya next time!

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Product samples were provided for consideration. I purchased a top coat at an earlier date.

My Nail & Hand Care Essentials

Hey guys and gals! Today I wanted to put together a post with all my essentials that I use to keep my nails and hands in tip top shape. These are my favorites right now but I seem to add or take something out every few months as I find new things that work better. This is just what is working for me at the moment.

Duri Rejuvacote - This has been my favorite nail treatment for a little over a year. I use it on bare nails for every manicure. I like this better than any other treatment I've tried. I still get peels on a few of my nails occasionally but no where near what I used to. And my nails grow faster and longer using this than ever before!

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Orly Primetime - I use this as a primer for my nails before I put on my base coat, it removes all traces of oil and residue so my products can adhere to my nail cleanly and completely.

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Orly Bonder - I have used this base coat for years and no matter what others I try, I always come back to this one. It is rubberized which helps the polish adhere to it better. It helps my polish go on well and resists chips. I believe everyone's body chemistry is different and what works for me might not work for you, you just have to experiment with different base and top coats to figure out the best combo.

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Glisten & Glow HK Topcoat - I wrote a review for this top coat not too long ago, you can see this post if you haven't read it. This is my favorite because it dries super fast and shiny. It also doesn't have any of the unfortunate side effects of other quick dry top coats, it doesn't get thick and goopey, it doesn't shrink the polish when it dries, and the surface doesn't get scratchy looking over time.

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Bliss Kiss Pure Nail Oil - This stuff is so amazing, it is practically liquid gold to me! I mentioned above how I occasionally have peeling nails and I have always had issues with dry and overgrown cuticles. I have been searching for something to supplement my nail care routine to hopefully help these concerns outside of my usual products. I found rave reviews of this nail oil, how it hydrates your nails and makes them more flexible, so I decided to try some and have fallen in love. I use this multiple times daily and it's made my cuticles nicer than ever! I'll do a more in depth review on this soon, it deserves it!

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Acetone and  Acetone/Glycerin/Water Mix - I have a hard time tolerating most scents and a lot of the nail polish removers out there have some kind of scent I can't handle. So I use pure acetone, it works the best and has no added scent. It can be drying though, so I add glycerin and water to make it more moisturizing. You can learn about this from Loodie Loodie Loodie, she explains it better than I could. I do use straight acetone to do clean up around the edges of my nail after painting. You can read about that process here from Lacquerized.

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Dappen Dish - I use this small glass dish to pour the acetone in that I use to clean up around my nails. It's super cheap and really helps my manicure routine.

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Small brush - This is my preferred brush to use for clean up with acetone around the edges of my nail. It's the e.l.f. concealer brush that I got for $1 at Kmart. It works well and is easy to replace when needed.

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Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover - This is my most used cuticle remover, though I have a few kinds. It's a gel formula that is easy to apply with the squeeze bottle. I used it at least weekly.

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Julep Hand & Cuticle Stick - This product is newer to my routine. I tried it on recommendation from Young, Wild & Polished (she's hilarious in her videos!). It is a balm that melts with the warmth of your skin. It smells amazing, like clean laundry, and it is easy to carry in my purse for quick applications on the go. It doesn't make my skin shiny either, which is helpful for taking photos of my nails.

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Hempz Original Herbal Body Moisturizer - This has to be my favorite lotion ever, hands down (hehe). I used to use it in high school after I went tanning, which I don't do anymore, but I always loved the clean scent and moisturizing effects. I recently got another bottle for a gift and it's quickly become my favorite and most used lotion. It is a little on the pricey side but I just love it.

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I'd love to hear about your nail care essentials! Tell me about your favorites in the comments :) Also let me know if you have any questions about my nail routine, I'd be happy to answer!

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Glisten & Glow Review

I'm always on the look out for the next great item to add to my nail care arsenal. Recently I had noticed a lot of people on Instagram taking nail pictures using a new top coat, Glisten & Glow HK Girl. I heard from a lot of people that it was amazing in terms of drying time without tip pull or shrinkage, and Leslie from work/play/polish was recently interviewed in Nail It! magazine saying that it was her "can't live without" top coat. I just had to try some for myself. The owner of Glisten & Glow, Jill, sent me a package of her goodies to try and I was not disappointed.

I got to test out their topcoat, HK Girl, and base coat, Stuck on Blu! I have been absolutely loving the topcoat, it dries super fast on me. It self-levels like a great top coat should, is very shiny and I haven't had one instance of shrinkage. It also wears very well on me, lasting a week or longer with no chips, which is amazing. I don't change my nail color as often as I used to so that's been nice. I would say it's my new favorite top coat!

The base coat might be also to credit for the excellent wear time I've been experiencing as I've been using Stuck on Blu! for all my recent manis as well. I've never really had a problem with my nails being stained with regular polish wear but if you're concerned about that you should try this as it claims to help prevent it. It's also sticky to help the polish adhere better, how I prefer my bases to be.

Press Sample

Jill also slipped in some cuticle balm and a roller ball stick of cuticle oil, both in the scent Summer Sorbet. They are awesome, if you know me you know that I need all the help with my problem cuticles as I can get. The roller ball is super convenient and I love the smell. I feel like the balm absorbs in my skin quickly so I don't have to deal with any type of greasiness.

The top coat and base coat is $6.95 per bottle or you can buy them as a duo for $13.50. The cuticle oil roller ball is $10.50 and the balm is $8.50 each. You should definitely check out these products and all the other awesome stuff in the Glisten & Glow store. They also do customizable bath products, everything from soap to scrub to shampoo. Are you interested in trying a new top coat? Try HK Girl! I bet you'll be impressed.

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Product samples were provided for consideration.

Perfect Formula - Strong Nail Daily Moisture

I'm a little cheap. What I mean is, I don't really like to spend a lot of money. Unless...it's worth it. It was pulling teeth to get me to buy my first Chanel polish and I cringed when I did. But I know now that it is occasionally worth the splurge. I never thought I would like the product I'm telling you about now as much as I do. I like it so much, that I am going to have to fork over the $29 (for two bottles) it will cost once I run out. The Perfect Formula brand hasn't impressed me in the past, but the Strong Nail Daily Moisture oil is pretty fan-freaking-tastic.

Image via Sephora.com

It boasts a formula made with Vitamin E, keratin, what makes up your nail, and jojoba oil, which is chemically close to natural skin sebum and is both anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial. A lot of nail/cuticle moisturizers have mineral oil in them which can irritate some folks, including me. And dork-butt that I am, I always always have to rub my eyes when I have oil on them (a curse?) and any other brand or formula that I get in my eyes makes me want to die it hurts so bad. Don't misunderstand, I am by no means telling you to get this stuff in your eyes, but honestly it doesn't hurt mine if (when) I do. Another reason I love this stuff so much is because it penetrates and absorbs into my skin really fast, so I don't have oil slicked hands for hours after I put it on. It also has no scent, which is a huge plus for me. I really can't find any fault with this stuff except the hefty price tag. However I have barely put a dent in my bottle and I've been using it for months.

I swear my cuticles have never looked better. They say this is very helpful for dry, brittle nails, but since I don't have either, I figure that this stuff is just reinforcing my pretty tips and making my skin look fab. You are supposed to use this once a day or so, on top of dry polish or your natural nails. You can get this on The Perfect Formula website or from Sephora.

Product provided for review.

BB Couture Top Rock & Hard On

It's no secret that I love BB Couture's nail polish colors. They're inventive, unique, and they are not afraid to push the envelope. But would I love their nail treatments just as much? I was bound and determined to find the answer to that question. I got Top Rock top coat and Hard On strengthener to review and I have been using them for almost every manicure for about a month.

Top Rock is a chip resistant, shiny top coat that boasts having 2 UV protectors in it's formula.  I was excited to try this guy out because according to OverallBeauty.com, it is supposed to smell like raspberries!  Well...it doesn't. At least not to me, but I have to say that it is the BEST smelling topcoat I've ever used!  Idk how to describe it, except (don't judge me now) it smells a little like a skunk.  Not bad at all, believe me haha.  That's just the first thing that popped in my head when I opened the bottle!

Top Rock has does an excellent job at being shiny and providing a nice hard surface on my manicures. It isn't the fastest drying top coat I own, which is usually my main priority. However, for what it does, I really love it. It keeps my manicure chip free (I only wear colors for at MOST three days) and SHINY. I also really love the consistency of this stuff. It isn't thick but not terribly thin either, really easy to manipulate on the nail. I found the best way to apply this stuff is to wait for my manicure color to dry for about 10 minutes, then to apply Top Rock and use a polish dryer, like OPI Drip Dry or my personal favorite, Nail Life aromatherapy Drop On (it smells like watermelon!).

When I first heard the name of Hard On nail strengthener, I just about died in a fit of giggles. I tip my hat to the ladies over at BB Couture's sense of humor, they crack me up! In fact, some of their new men's collection holiday colors are called Santa's Sak and Silver Balls--hilarious! Anyway, this treatment is colored a bit purple in the bottle, but goes on the nail clear. I use it as a base coat.

Now if you are looking for a great smelling nail polish treatment, boy howdy have I found it for ya! Hard On smells like delicious :D I think this one smells a heck of a lot more like raspberries than Top Rock. Seriously, la la love it. As for it's performance, I have noticed that my nails have stopped peeling and are noticeably stronger since I've started using this. I also haven't had any problems with staining while using it.

You can get these both at OverallBeauty.com for $10 each. I know I'm going to pick up another bottle when I get through these ones, they're seriously terrific!

xoxo,
kelliegonzo

Products were provided for an honest review.