fall

Product Smackdown: Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure (Commander in Chic) vs. Essie Merino Cool

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I love taupe colors for fall in all capacities- eyes, nails, and sometimes even lips! Nearly every single nail polish manufacturer on the planet has got a version out there. Here I have two very similar colors of taupe polish from two respected brands- Essie and Sally Hansen. Let’s see which one wins!!

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in 370 Commander in Chic: $6.59 (0.5 fl oz/14.7 mL)   at Target

Essie Nail Lacquer in 76 Merino Cool: $7.79 (0.46 fl oz/13.5 mL) at Target

http://www.target.com/p/sally-hansen-complete-salon-manicure-commander-in-chic/-/A-13332358

http://www.target.com/p/essie-nail-color-merino-cool/-/A-13249632?ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=Google_PLA_df&LNM=%7C13249632&CPNG=Health+Beauty&kpid=13249632&LID=PA&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=13249632&gclid=CIvJoOb0kboCFZE7Mgod-ScApg

Essie Merino Cool vs. Sally Hansen Commander in Chic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sally Hansen Essie
Features (as found on brand websites) Base coat, strengthener, growth treatment, salon-inspired color, top coat, chip-resistance and a gel finish all in 1 bottleVita Care technology for advanced 10 day wear, more shine and nourishing care

1st place

 Outstanding durability, a chip-resistant formula 

 

 

 

 

2nd place
Price 1st place 2nd place
Color (for me personally) Mid-tone purple-based taupe (lighter than Essie)1st place Dark-mid-tone purple-based taupe (darker than Sally Hansen)2nd place
Wear time (until first chip appears)   After 4-5 days, only minor tip wear , no base or top coat

1st place

  After 2-3 days, no base or topcoat

 

2nd place
Application Brush slightly larger, product less prone to gloopiness1st place Good brush, product prone to gloopiness2nd place
Dry Time 1st place  2nd place
Ingredients DBP, Toluene, and Formaldehyde freeContains parabens

2nd place

 DBP, Toluene, and Formaldehyde free1st place
OVERALL RANK 1st place 2nd place

Overall, there is no disputing it: Commander in Chic outperformed Merino Cool in virtually every category. Honestly, the wear time for me was the most impressive; for me most things wear 2-3 days before starting to chip, like the Essie shade. For me to get that much wear out of it was absolutely mind blowing for me. The Complete Salon Manicure looks like an amazing formula, I think I will be picking up some more colors from the line in the future!

Review: The Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector

/ beautyandthefreak / 3 Comments

100mL/ 3.3 fl. oz.

The Body Shop USA- $12

The Body Shop UK- ₤5

The Body SHop EU- €6

Found at http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com

This hand cream is supposed to “soften and protect” very dry hands that uses Community Trade hemp seed oil and Community Trade organic beeswax to replenish the skin’s moisture barrier and seal said moisture in. It is a very rich, slightly greenish colored cream.

 

Ingredients

Water (Solvent/Diluent), Glycerin (Humectant), Cetearyl Alcohol (Emulsifier), Myristyl Myristate (Emollient), Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil (Skin-Conditioning Agent), Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil (Emollient), Dimethicone (Skin Conditioning Agent), C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate (Emulsifier), Glyceryl Stearate (Emulsifier), PEG-100 Stearate (Surfactant), Beeswax (Emulsifier/Emollient), Panthenol (Skin/Hair Conditioning Agent), Methyl Soyate (Skin Conditioning Agent – Emollient), Phenoxyethanol (Preservative), Fragrance (Fragrance), Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Allantoin (Skin Soothing Agent), Citric Acid (pH Adjuster), Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Xanthan Gum (Viscosity Modifier), Hydrogenated Castor Oil (Emollient), Retinyl Palmitate (Skin Conditioning Agent), Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax (Stabiliser/Viscosity Modifier), Disodium EDTA (Chelating Agent), Tocopherol (Antioxidant), Talc (Absorbent/Bulking Agent), Chromium Oxide Greens (Colour), Iron Oxides (Colour).

 

So my love affair with the Body Shop continues. This cream does everything is says it will. It is so rich and nourishing, no matter how dry my hands are this cream makes them feel soft and supple. Now that the fall and winter are coming up, if you live somewhere that does get cold, I would highly, highly recommend this. It is (so far, anyway) the best hand cream that I have ever tried and believe me, I have tried a lot! Now that I have relocated to Houston where it does not get cold, ever, I will not be needing this as much, but when I lived in northern Germany, during the winter this is what kept my hands from dying. And believe me when I say the job was not easy.

In terms of scent, it’s not the most delicious in the world. Honestly, it kinda smells vaguely of a plant. However, it is not a particularly strong smell, it goes away quickly, and you get used to it so it’s not a big deal.

This cream soaks in pretty quickly, considering how rich it is. It leaves an odd residue on the skin- not oily at all, you won’t leave massive oil splotches on things you touch like other creams- but it feels like there’s a protective layer on the skin which I assume comes from the beeswax. For me it’s not a problem at all, but I would recommend trying it out in the store if you have the chance.

Price-wise, I think it is pretty decent! In Europe and Britain more so, but the American price isn’t too tragic. I would say it’s pretty midrange- it’s a little more expensive than something like Nivea, but then again it works far better. Also compared to some of the more luxury hand creams it’s a steal, and may very well  work just as well or better. Considering the benefits, it is a sum I am happy to spend.

 

Bottom line, this is a fabulous hand cream and your hands will love you. If you can stand the smell, get it.

Rating: A+