Review: Fing'rs Flirt Nail Bling 3D Stick-On Designs

I picked up one of the new Fing'rs Flirt Nail Bling sets at Rite Aid about a month ago for around $1.99. I've always been interested in 3D nail art but not really caviar nails or any design that severely protrudes from the nail (I love the look, but it's just not practical for me personally). So I figured, for two bucks, why not give these stickers a try?

 Fing'rs Flirt Nail Bling 3D Stick-On Designs in 32508

(retail: around $1.99 for 14 nail decals)

Unlike nail strips that are made from real nail polish, which require a little bit more work for application,  these are just basically stickers that you stick on your nail. You just press out any air bubbles and you're done.

For $1.99, you get pretty much what you'd expect. Open the sleeve and there are 14 stickers on a clear sheet. That's it:

All I did to prepare my nails for these stickers was to apply one coat of black creme nail color (Wet n Wild Fast Dry Nail Polish in Ebony Hates Chris, which is an excellent one-coater). I thought the black base would look neat against the purple gradient design of these stickers:

The above pic was taken before the addition of top coat. You'll notice that, depending on the width of your nail beds (mine are on the wide side but not super wide), the stickers might not wrap all the way across your nail. My pinky was fine, but all other nails had exposed nail on either side of the sticker.

Here's a better shot of the sides of my nails:

Here's what these stickers look like after applying clear top coat:

I've got a lot to say about these little stickers, so I'll try to be as consise as possible:

What I love:

They're easy. I mean, super easy. Anyone, regardless of skill level, can apply these. Just peel, stick and go. Because they're clear stickers, you can really go wild with your base color (a purple holo polish would look amazing underneath this design). I also love that they're so inexpensive. $1.99 is enough for one full manicure (both hands, for me) and I think that's fair for what you get. Also, I like that these stickers are thin, so that it's not difficult to file off any overhang. Any excess sticker can be removed very easily. And removal of the stickers in general is very easy as well. The literally just peel right off.

What I don't love:

If your nails are any longer than mine (I mean, even just 1/8th of an inch longer than mine) these might not work for you. ALL of the decals in this set are for short nails. For example, the one size of decal that would work for pinky fingers is the exact length of my nail. So if your pink nail is any longer than mine, the tip of your nail is going to be exposed. You can compensate by applying the sticker a little bit farther up from your cuticle than I did, but if you've got medium-to-long nails, you'll probably want to skip these unless you're planning on cutting them into strips for a detailed design, or something like that. I also don't like how fragile the stickers can be. They are thin, which as I stated above is a good thing,  but because they're also fragile, I tore one of them in half just by trying to remove it from the sheet. So you've got be very careful when removing these from the sheet and also during application. Regarding the texture, of course these are bumpy (they're called "3D"!). I tried applying one coat of Gelous Base Coat followed by two coats of Seche Vite (my usual combo to make chunky glitter polishes smooth to the touch) and at first it worked. But then, about 20 minutes later, I noticed that these stickers basically devoured both the base and top coats I had applied, and they were back to being their bumpy selves.

FINAL VERDICT: If you're looking for "nail bling" for a special night on the town, these would be a great choice, as long as your nails aren't much longer than mine. I don't foresee anyone getting multiple days of wear from these (unless you don't do much with your hands on a daily basis), but for one special day or night, these are perfect. I personally got about a day and half of wear before I started to notice peeling on my tips. I love that these are cheap, easy and, most importantly, quick to apply. They're probably the quickest nail art you can get at the drugstore, and for a special occasion, I think they're worth it--especially the design I purchased (it's just too cute). But again, those with longer nails and those looking for long-wearing nail art can just keep walking right on past these...they are probably not for you.

Have you tried any Fing'rs Flirt Nail Bling designs? If so, I'd love to hear about your experiences. If you haven't tried these, do you think they might be a good fit for you?