Sassy Single Mom Style: Perfect DIY date-night nails

Oh, how I love the luxury of a mani-pedi. I love it when the nice ladies beat their fists against my calves and try desperately to scrub away the calloused signs of my high-heeled sole-abuse. I love the buzzy reclining chair and stacks of old celeb goss magazines. I love that my only dilemma for that bit of time is French or rhinestones upon my toes. Even though it is hard for me to sit still for the whole hour, my fidgeting is not a sign that I want to be anywhere else other than reading six or seven Us Weeklys cover to cover while someone else tends to my cuticles.

I admit, I start to fidget as the clock ticks toward an hour, but I also recognize how necessary that time to just sit, relax and enjoy six or seven UsWeeklys cover to cover is for a mama. I used to make it a habit to head to my nail salon every time Lil E had a weekend with his dad, but with some attempt to exercise and errands and desperately wanting to sleep innnnn, that easily slips off the schedule.

I try to go to the nail salon on the weekends when Lil E is with his dad, when my schedule is open and I can use it as a reward for running a few miles on the treadmill at the gym next door. It's easy, though, to let that slip while I make one more stop at Target or have brunch with my friend Fabulous Shawn or just sleep in...wayyyyy innnnnn. The problem with putting off regular mani-pedis means that I'm suddenly crunched with time and crap nails, just when I need to look extra gorgeous to go see the Not Boyfriend or head off to a blog event. While I've certainly curled up my fingers and have done a schlocky touch-up on my toes at stoplights with a random marker hidden at the bottom of my purse (oh, yes), it is so much better to walk in to greet your favorite bloggy ladies or beau with fingernails that shine like justice.

Lucky for us, I found the perfect way to cheat. Hellooooohhhh, nail stickers.

No, not the teeny tiny kind you used to meticulously use to add little butterflies and flowers over your nail polish that peeled off the next time you washed your hands. These are nail stickers that replace polish. Pretty. Easy. Brilliant.

I  was skeptical of the Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Polish Strips but I bought them (with my own money!) and tried them anyway. I expected them to be tricky to get on properly and to look trashy. But they didn't. I easily put them on in about ten minutes while my attention was partially diverted by the Maroon 5 guy on "The Voice". All that is required is choosing one of the slightly formaldehyde-smelling strips for each finger, peeling back the paper, placing them on your nail bed and then filing off the end with a few quick swipes of the enclosed mini-emory board.

I chose a black and white daisy design and I love that my nails look funky and perfectly polished, which they totally would not if I DIYed it the regular way (the secret's out: I am a terrible and impatient nail polisher). The package says the strips last up to ten days. Mine started chipping at day five. Still, I got tons of compliments on them.

While I won't give up my mani-pedi time completely, I love having the option of slapping on cute nails without worrying about smudging or how in the world I will pull out cash from my purse to tip the nail tech. These strips are perfect for a date night or if you'd rather invest your budget outside of the salon.

I got my Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Polish strips at Walgreens and have since seen them at CVS, Target and online here, all for about $9.

This review is not sponsored. All products purchased came out of my own pocketbook. This time, I was very happy to be the sugar mama.

More Sassy Single Mom stuff:

• 3 sexy tops to wear on a summer date


• Sultry espadrilles


• Why you need little luxuries

Comments

[Jewelry Making]

I am a type of a woman who is not fond of putting colored nail polish because I find it distracting to the eyes.

[The Aitch]

I tried these and found they were not worth the effort. Cute, but too time consuming, dont last very long and are a bitch to take off.

Although it looks like you're rocking them!

[Sassy Single Mom]

Oohh la la! I will put these on the list and give them a whirl.

I tend to polish my fingernails with a light color (that way not so obvious when they start to chip), and use bold and *perty* colors on my toe nails. They wear better.

But, these sound ultra-fun! Thanks for sharing. :-)

[Candace Walsh]

I am going to try those out pronto! I don't get to the salon nearly often enough, and since I dance barefoot at Nia class, I like to have my feet look...less troglodytic and more purty. I also have that same ring in blue and green.