In my day I have tried nail polish strips from several prominent brands, including Sally Hansen, Kiss, and Sinful Colors. While they have slight nuances, at the end of the day the story seems to end the same. Being a strip nail enthusiast, you bet I am pumped to revisit the idea with a Dashing Diva Nail strips review. I have been collecting too many styles for this very occasion. The existing Dashing Diva Gloss reviews on them sound promising, leading me to hope that these will work much better than their counterparts of the past. This review contains application steps and removal to ultimately help us to decide if these things really work.
Where to Purchase Dashing Diva Nail Wraps
You can buy Dashing Diva nail wraps at most major retailers, including Ulta, Walmart, Target, and on Dashing Diva’s website.
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How to Apply Dashing Diva Gloss Ultra Shine Gel Palette
I am starting this Dashing Diva nail strips review with a tutorial on the application process. This features the Dashing Diva Gloss Ultra Shine Gel Palette in In the Blush.
In each kit you get the strips, a prep pad, and a double-sided nail file, including instructions.
1) Prepare Nails
The first step in prepping your nails for anything you are going to do to them requires you to follow my nail care routine. As I already have a blog post on that, you should follow all of the steps leading up to nail polish application.
My nail care routine includes dehydrating your nails, but you can still use the included prep pad for extra security. A quick pro-tip: prep pads are mostly rubbing alcohol. You can make your own with a cotton ball or round if you do not have one.
Also, you should protect your working surface with some paper towels, a sheet of paper, or whatever you prefer.
2) Select Best Size Strip
The second step in this Dashing Diva nail strips review and tutorial is to select the best size strip for each nail. Since they come on a clear plastic backing, you can hold them over your nails. If you are in between sizes, the best thing to do is to size down. Any part of the strip that overlaps onto your skin will end up not sticking on your nail.
If you are a small woman like me, you may find that you need to custom fit some strips. I accomplish this by cutting them with cuticle cutters.
Once I have all 10 strips selected, I like to lay them on my work space in order of application to prevent confusion. I even take mine one step further by cutting each strip into individual pieces, but you do not need to do that.
3) Apply Strip
To apply Dashing Diva sticker nails, the best way is to peel them from the plastic backing using tweezers. You can use your fingers if tweezers are not available, but be careful to not touch the back of the strip as much as possible to avoid loss of adhesion.
I like to start with my pinkies. Take the strip and apply it to the base of your nail. Then, use your fingers to smooth the strip out from base to tip to eliminate any air bubbles.
If you want to be extra sure that the sides of the strip are adhering flatly to the sides of your nail, you can press them down with a cuticle stick.
4) Fold Over Excess & File
The fourth step in this Dashing Diva nail strips review and application tutorial is to get rid of the excess strip overhanging the tip of your nail. If you have a fair amount of excess, you can cut some of it away with cuticle cutters before grabbing the included nail file, but I find the cutting step to be mostly unncessary.
Use the white side of the nail file and file in one direction. It will only take a few passes before the extra strip section can be easily pulled off.
Then, flip the nail file over and use the gray side to buff the edge of your nail to ensure the tip of the strip is smooth.
Once my pinkies are done, I work my way up to my thumbs. I find going in this order is the easiest for me, but you should do what you feel is best.
This is your finished product!
How to Remove Dashing Diva Nail Strips
Dashing Diva removal is super easy! All you have to do is gently and slowly peel them off of your nails. If they are being stubborn, try a drop of oil or nail polish remover. Mine came off with no fuss or extra products needed.
Dashing Diva Nail Strips Review
Now that we have seen an application tutorial and removal, it is time for my Dashing Diva nail strips review. First and foremost, the application process is exactly the same as any nail polish strips I have ever used.
By looking at the pictures below, you can see what my newly manicured nails look like immediately after application versus wear one week later. While these strips are formulated to be worn for up to 14 days, I did not care to wear them past seven. They get plenty of wear and tear on the tips, to the point where they resemble chipping nail polish. I am very disappointed to see that. The only benefit is that they never started lifting to make them get caught in my hair, which happens with other brands.
Sadly, some air bubbles are unavoidable, no matter how much smoothing I do. Those areas end up not sticking at all. I also suffered several broken nails while wearing these strips, as they do not provide as much strength and protection as traditional nail lacquer.
I would have given these the green light if they do not wear out on the tips after seven days. Ultimately, these are not better than any other nail polish strips. I am somewhat saddened that I bought many packages of these on a whim.
Dashing Diva Gel Strips Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
I am ending this Dashing Diva gel strips review with some frequently asked questions.
Where do they sell Dashing Diva?
Dashing Diva is sold at major retailers, including Ulta, Walmart, Target, and on Dashing Diva’s website.
How long do Dashing Diva gel strips last?
Dashing Diva nail strips claim to last up to 14 days. However, my review shows significant wear at the tips after seven days. I do not prefer to wear them beyond a week.
Do Dashing Diva Gloss dry out?
Dashing Diva Gloss does not dry out. While they are made of real gel, the formula is more like an adhesive sticker.
Do you put a top coat over Dashing Diva?
You do not put a top coat over Dashing Diva. They are formulated to be worn as they come straight out of the package. While I have not tried wearing top coat over Dashing Diva strips, I have done so with other brands and it always peels off.
Are Dashing Diva strips real polish?
Yes, Dashing Diva strips are made with real gel polish.
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Conclusion
In summary of this Dashing Diva nail strips review, the strips apply just like any other brand of nail polish strips or stickers, and they look great right away! However, you will see significant wear and tear at the tips after about seven days, causing them to not look so hot. I recommend wearing these for an event where you want some awesome nail art while not breaking the bank, as they will look great for a few days. Outside of that, these are not better or worse than other strips on the market, making them a pass for me when it comes to regular use. Until next time, continue to let your true beauty shine.
Are you a regular user and fan of nail polish strips?
9 Responses
That turned out beautiful! The designs are so pretty!
xoxo
Lovely
http://www.mynameislovely.com
I would not recommend just peeling the strips off. I did so on your advice and it wrecked the three nails I did before I looked at other advice that says to use at least cuticle oil or nail polish remover.
Hi, Laverne! I’m sorry to hear about your experience. The official instructions that come with the product do state that you may use a drop of oil and/or nail polish remover during the removal process. I also state that within the text. In my case, I was able to cleanly peel mine off without extra product. This may not be the case for everyone, and I may not have the same experience the next time that I wear them.
I have been using these strips for a couple years now and I find that using a top coat does in fact extend the wear time. I can easily get 10 days (and probably mire if I didn’t get bored of the color/design) with very minimal wear at the tips.
Thank you for this tip! I’ve tried top coat over similar strips in the past, and I find that it peels off. It’s as if the top coat cannot penetrate the strip. Perhaps these are formulated differently. It’s worth a try!
Amanda, I was just checking out your review – I just purchased a couple of packages of these on a whim. I see you had chipping issues, and was wondering if you use gloves when doing dishes or other chores. From the picture your hands look a bit dry so I was just wondering if this may have been a contributing issue to the chipping?
Hi Jackie! I always wear gloves when doing the dishes and other chores. Also, I work a desk job, so generally speaking, my life is not harsh on my hands. My hands absolutely should look dry in the pictures! Before applying the strips, I do dehydrate my nails, which causes the surrounding skin to look dry. Normally when I finish my manicure I apply cuticle oil and hand lotion, but not with strips. It’s best to leave some time in-between to allow for proper adhesion. Otherwise, I don’t have issues with dry skin. I don’t miss my retail days folding clothes and damaging my cuticles lol. I recently tried the strips again with a UV gel top coat, but it peeled off after a few days. I’ve tried it all haha! Frustrating!
I have been using the strips for 2 month. Is really amazing and for me, my nails are healthy. They last more than 4 weeks, if I dont retouched them. I do add top coat for double protection. They help your nails grow stronger without ruining it as well.
I see so many positive experiences with these. I recently tried them and had similar results as you did. Chipped quickly, only lasted a couple days. Wonder what we are doing wrong?!