Review: Three nude polishes from Sally Hansen

Press Sample 

When Sally Hansen relaunched their Complete Salon Manicure line back in November of 2012, I didn't really notice these three shades in the display. You know me--my eyes always go to the sparkly and/or "nontraditional" colors and I often skip right over the nudes.

But let's rewind back to Oscar Night 2013 and this post that I did about the Complete Salon Manicure polishes that some of the celebrities attending the event wore on their nails that night. I was sent the three CSM shades featured in that post for review, and I have to say that I'm happy these were given to me because I usually walk right past these on my weekly trips to the drugstore, There are a few really nice, work-friendly colors here--take a peek:

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Nail Colors in Almost Almond, Sheer Ecstasy, Mudslide

(retail: around $7.99 each, 0.5 oz)

Let's start with Almost Almond:

(three coats, no top coat)

 Almost Almond

Looking at this one in the bottle, I immediately thought "OK, it's your basic soft beige creme." But once I got it on the nail, I realized why this is called Almost Almond. It's not quite almond, but it's also not just a regular beige. It's got this lovely, soft shimmer that looks pinkish-golden when the light hits it just right. In person , this color has a soft, glowing look to it. Granted, it's sheer (you can see some streaks and visible nail line in this photo) but in person, I find that application flaws aren't as visible to the naked eye--it's like the shimmer sort disguises the flaws or something? I don't know how else to explain it. Anyway, it's a lovely shade and I can see it working on a variety of different skintones as well. Dry time was very good on the first coat, good on the second coat and average on the third.

Next up, Sheer Ecstasy:

(three coats, no top coat)

Sheer Ecstasy

I'm no expert at applying sheer, nude shades (given my tastes when it comes to nail colors, you can obviously understand why!). I had some issues with leveling and you can also see a few streaks even after three coats. That said, if you're used to wearing sheer, nude shades, you might have better luck with this polish. I do love the look of it, however I definitely suggest applying a quick-dry top coat when you're done because, after three coats, this one took a long to dry on its own.

Last but not least, we have Mudslide:

(two coats, no top coat)

 Mudslide

I'm the first one to admit that dusty rose and mauve shades are not high on my list of polish must-haves. Generally speaking, those types of shades feel very dated to me and bring me right back to the 80s when the drugstores were flooded with them. However, something about Mudslide feels modern to me, and I think I finally figured it out. It has less pink to it than other shades of this nature, yet it's not all the way into the terraccota end of the spectrum. It's like it's walking a razor's edge between dusty rose and terracotta, and I think that's a difficult feat to accomplish! Anyway, I am totally surprised by how much I like this shade, and bonus: it's a one-coater! But of course I applied two, just because I don't ever feel right wearing one coat of any polish. The formula on this one is buttery and a dream to work with. Dry time is great as well, even on the second coat. I'm actually wearing this polish right now and, on day three of this manicure, I haven't even come close to growing tried of it. Weird, right??

FINAL VERDICT: If you're in the market for some new work-friendly nail polishes, I say give Almost Almond and Mudslide a look the next time you're at the drugstore. They're surprisingly lovely and they both feel like fresh, modern takes on classic colors. I wouldn't recommend Sheer Ecstasy unless you are a pro at applying sheer, nude colors. Otherwise, you might get frustrated by the self-leveling issues and streaks, even after three coats.

Do you own any of these Complete Salon Manicure shades? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.Blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews. For more information, click here.