Sally Hansen Mermaid's Tale is a sheer ocean toned blue jelly, with blue and green hex glitters, sprinked with smaller blue glitters. Application wise was good, however the jelly was very sheer and even though it can be built on its own, I would layer this glitter over top of a creme next time. The brush was flat and wide, similar to the brush in the Insta-Dri line and was easy to work with. As I stated before, it's really sheer, so in order to build up my swatch, I ended up having to use about three to four coats, which is extremely ridiculous. Here's my swatch without top coat:
Here's a photo of the bottle and brush:
I think Sally Hansen has so many different polish lines, so I had to look up what exactly do they mean by "Complete Salon Manicure". Here's a copypasta on Sally Hansen's description of what you get with their Complete Salon Manicure line:
Skip the salon, get the results. Don't settle for just color when you can get a base coat, strengthener, growth treatment, salon-inspired color, top coat, chip-resistance and a gel finish all in 1 bottle. Featuring the unique precision brush for a flawless finish and patented Vita Care technology for advanced 10 day wear, more shine and nourishing care.
I've also read that the Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure line is "5-Free (including formaldehyde resin and camphor, which can be an irritant)" (source), despite them not advertising it on their website.
I really liked this colour. Like, a lot. I know that Sally Hansen claims it's an all-in-one formula, but honestly, I think this colour benefits from a glossy top coat. Here's a coat of Seche Vite over top:
I love it, guys, I really do. Now, supposedly this is a dupe for Deborah Lippmann's Across the Universe, which I wanted so badly, but couldn't bite the bullet for $22. Now it's completely sold out on Nail Polish Canada, with no intention of a restock, but to be honest - I really, really liked Sally Hansen's Mermaid's Tale - even if I felt weird for spending $9 on a Sally Hansen polish. It's an extremely pretty glitterbomb that I am sure will get worn multiple times.
What do you think of Mermaid's Tale? Do you believe in all-in-one polish formulas, or do you still slap on base coat and top coat afterwards? Can anyone confirm this is a Deborah Lippmann dupe? Welp, that's all for now - I hope you enjoy your weekends and I'll see y'all next week!
So funny, I have been lusting after this for months and finally let me mom buy it for me this week haha when I was visiting her and we were at Walmart, it was $8 there and I just still was thinking about it and I finally got it! These photos make me want to wear it even more, it's sooo gorgeous. I did think it was weird to pay so much for a SH polish but I had wanted this one for so long and when my mom offered, I just said yes :) I would definitely still wear a base coat, eek glitter!
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It was DEFINITELY weird spending so much money on a Sally Hansen polish but I think this one is worth it. I seriously LOVE it. It's definitely a little bitch to take off, so just be sure you're ready for some foil method!
DeleteGahhh that is so pretty! I feel really dumb for not buying the (now discontinued) exact dupe Essence had, Blue Addicted. I don't mind 4 coats when it results in ULTRA-EXTREME-SQUISHYNESS (I'm pretty sure you know Zim, so just read that in his voice).
ReplyDeleteMan if Essence had a dupe, I would be so on that. I seriously love their polishes and they're so cheap too. Just wish Canada had more of them. (And haha how did you know I totally know Zim? Jhonen Vasquez was one of my high school crushes!)
DeleteThis polish is so beautiful!! No, I don't believe in all-in-one polish formulas, I still want my basecoat especially if it's glitter :D I'm using peel-off basecoats for glitters ;)
ReplyDeleteI was wondering how you wear so much glitter polishes! Peel off basecoats are totally the way to go. I sometimes use white glue but I find that it takes forever to dry so it's almost like the same time that it would take to do a foil method too!
DeletePuuuurty :-) And I love your ring, hee hee.
ReplyDeleteI love the ring too - I just don't want to over use it or else everyone would get sick of it, lol!
DeleteOh wow I love this! It has lots of depth and looks so squishy and it's like, well, mermaid scales. :)
ReplyDeleteI don't own any SH Complete Salon Manicure polishes, but I might just have to take a closer look next time I walk by them.
I would feel weird not putting base coat or top coat, but might skip the base just to see how well they perform. Did you get any staining from this one?
I found a few at the Shoppers discount bin for $5 and now I am tempted to get them. I just might! They were from the same collection so maybe they'd pair up nicely with this one too. :)
DeleteI found that this one did stain slightly, but nothing awfully bad or anything. Sometimes I get some staining when I am swatching but after a shower, it will disappear. Strange.
I found this one today in a clearance bin at Shoppers for $2.99, WHOOHOO!!! :D They only had one though, otherwise I would've picked up more! Damn, I should've checked the regular rack to see if they had any there, I didn't think of that!
Delete$2.99 is SUCH a steal!!!! Damn that's awesome! I saw some more SH Complete Manicure polishes in the discount bin at Shoppers but it was still $5!
DeleteI have Across the Universe and this might be a dupe of it. I had to swatch it out to see. Here's what it looks like. ( I did three coats + a top coat)
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For $9 bottle, that is a great deal if you don't want to spend $22 on Across the Universe.
Woot! I am following you on IG now! I have heard that Mermaid's Tale is a dupe, and I've also heard that it's similar but honestly, I think Across the Universe and Mermaid's Tale are close enough that I am happy! I definitely can't afford $22 a bottle polish these days haha. (But also not haha. :()
DeleteWow this is really beautiful, you know how skeptical and judgey I can be when it comes to Sally Hansen, that being said she keeps trying to change my mind! I don't know if I buy the whole "This does it all" stuff kinda like two in one shampoos, that's just being lazy.
ReplyDeleteYou are so judgey against SH, it's hilarious but honestly this shit was worth it. I fucking love this polish. Definitely in my Top Polishes of 2013.
DeleteI just bought a pair of originally $8 SH polishes at buy one, get one half off, and the bottles are only 10ml... but DUOCHROME. Lustre Shine in Lava appears to be a near-dupe of Glitter Gal Fiery Furnace and Scarab totally has that blue-green beetle-wing action going on.
ReplyDeleteI saw those duochromes! If I didn't have so many of them I would want more but they all looked super amazing in the bottle - especially that Scarab!
DeleteI am a little sorry I bought Lava since on swatch sticks it's identical to the Glitter Gal I already had, but maybe my BFF will want it, or maybe I'll franken it up with some gold holo glitter!
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