Thrifty Thursday # 2 | Dollar Tree

 THRIFTY THURSDAY #2 | DOLLAR TREE

  

There are lots of reasons that I love the Dollar Tree.  It started off just being a great party planning resource, then a makeup treasure trove, then a surprise couponing haven, and then an amazing book store.  It's hard to choose which of these categories is most exciting to me.  Until I see makeup.  :)

 

This week's haul features nail products and cosmetics. First, for the odd one out:

 

 

 

I was able to find my shade of the Revlon Nearly Naked foundation, so I purchased several.  Additional information about this product can be found in yesterday's Wish List Wednesday post.

 

I also found the complete list of shades from the vendor's product pamphlet.  Those are all shown in my YouTube haul video, so be sure to check it out!

 

 

Next up:  Kiss Gel Dress nail strips. 



$1 per box at Dollar Tree

 

 

I tried these out, so I actually have some pretty clear feelings about the quality and value.  Overall, I would say they're worth a dollar, but you really do have to insinuate them onto your nail.  To me, it's worth trying again because of all the positives, but it's really a matter of personal preference.  If you're willing to spend a little extra time on the front end to save time throughout the week, then definitely give these a try.  Mine lasted a week before I removed them!  I'll share my one-week update video in the next Mani Monday video on YouTube.  If you're not already subscribed to my channel, please check it out!

 

 

 

Next up: my beloved Sally Hansen nail strips.

 

First: the brand's Insta Gel strips are marketed to be used with a gel topcoat and an LED lamp (which cures the topcoat and increases the shelf-life of your manicure).

 



Left to right: Get Juicy, Commander in Chic, Back to the Fuchsia, Punch Drunk

 

I've actually always been afraid to use gel polish because of how damaging acetone can be to natural nails.  I've also heard way too many stories about literally pulling off bits of the nail when the polish won't come off easily.  So, I didn't use the (included) gel topcoat.  Instead, I used a regular cheapie topcoat.  And the nail strips still held up wonderfully!  They didn't buckle when the topcoat was applied, they didn't chip off within days of application, and- best of all- they removed easily with non-acetone nail polish remover.  Super win!  I'll continue to purchase these and will definitely use the gel topcoat when giving myself pedicures (I don't update my toenail polish often, anyway).

 

Next up: my holy grail nail product!  Sally Hansen Salon Effect nail strips. 

 



Left to right: Mod About You, Sweet Tart-an, Kitty Kitty, Check Please



Left to right: Stripe Tease, Hear Me Roar, Wild Child

 

 

These are made with real nail polish, which means that they'll remove with non-acetone nail polish remover.  It also means that they are very easy to manipulate on the nail and they tend not to react negatively with topcoat is applied.  The negative is that, once opened, these dry out very quickly.  Otherwise, I find these to be a complete game-changer for me.

 

 

Finally, I found (and swatched!) a bunch of polishes across different brands. I was really happy with the selection.  Take a look at what I found.

 

 

From LA Colors:

 

 

From Milani:



Left to right: Fast Fuchsia, Power Periwinkle, Sugar Coated




Left to right: Move on Mauve, Blue Zoom, Bet on Red



 

 

From Revlon:

 

 

 

 

 

From Maybelline:

 

 

What do you think?  Have you tried any of these polishes?

 

Please let me know your thoughts about these products in the comments below.  And don't forget to check out my Instagram and YouTube pages. 

 

Thanks for reading - see you next time!