OMG Nail Strips Review and Photos

OMG Nail Polish Strips in Black Horizontal Stripe

Disclosure: This product was sent by the company for review.
Well, this is a momentous occasion. This marks the first time I am reviewing a product that a company sent me, free and unsolicited. They didn't even request that I do anything in particular with my review. (I've reviewed things from BzzAgent and Influenster before, but anyone can sign up for those programs and receive shit to test.) They said that if I didn't think it would affect my ability to write an honest review, I could link back to their website. I mean, I would do that anyway, because otherwise you wouldn't know where to get these things. But being unafraid of the word fuck gives this brand a couple of points, in my mind, right from the start.

If their shit is crap (or their crap is shit?), though, then that's not worth a whole lot. Spoiler alert: it's not. It's fine. The OMG Nail Polish Strips apply and perform identically in almost every way to the Sally Hansen version. So if you've used those and liked them, you should be happy with these.

I requested the Black Horizontal Stripe pattern, because I had previously tried the black and white checkered Sally Hansen strips and liked how they looked. I thought these would give a similar sort of mod (?) look. I have to admit that I'm not really a nail art person. Usually I prefer a solid colored nail, and if I'm getting really fancy, I'll use a glitter top coat. So I didn't go for one of the really wild designs, but there are dozens of options. As it turned out, this maybe wasn't the best choice, because it really tested my ability to line the strip up properly on my nail (and I was not entirely successful).

OMG Nail Polish Strips immediately after application
(note the crooked index finger - it's a look?)

OMG has a video that shows you how to apply them, so I won't repeat all of that here. I will say that it helps to use the flat side of an orange stick to smooth them onto your nail. The hardest part for me is always getting the strips lined up properly, so that I don't end up with a gap on one side. It gets easier with practice, but there is definitely a steep learning curve. Once you've got part of it stuck to your nail, it's on there for good, so if you mess it up, you're kind of screwed. There are a couple of extra strips that you can trim down and use, if all else fails. But it's really not that hard. Even if there is a little gap, it's hardly noticeable, especially if you have a busy pattern like this one. Here's another photo, where you can see that the gap on the right side of my index finger is not very conspicuous.

OMG Nail Polish Strips immediately after application
(in front of the Books I've Had Since High School shelf)

I painted over them with the basic OPI topcoat, and I ended up with some bubbles. The topcoat will slightly melt the strips, which helps them adhere better, but I think also caused the bubbling. I later added another coat of Sally Hansen InstaDri topcoat, and that smoothed everything out. The melting can also help if you really fuck up one of the strips, like I did with the index finger on my right hand. When it softened up, I used the orange stick to smash it down and smooth it out a little. This photo was taken before I did that, so even disasters like this can be partially mended. You can also see some of the bubbling I mentioned here.

OMG Nail Polish Strips immediately after application

These things are supposed to wear for 10 days, but I couldn't keep them on that long. Not because they're not durable: I just got sick of looking at such a bold design after a few days, and I'm not good at leaving polish on for more than a couple of days no matter what. Short attention span. I believe that they would last at least a week, though. They're not going to chip like nail polish. You'll just get some tip wear, which you can see in the photo below. This one was taken after 3 days, and then I removed them.  (Note: It's possible that I didn't do the "perpendicular" filing described in the video linked above quite right. Maybe if I had, the tip wear wouldn't have been as extreme.)

OMG Nail Polish Strips three days after application

Unless you get the Sally Hansen strips on sale, these OMG ones will be a little cheaper ($7 vs. $10). The main differences are that the Sally Hansen strips are slightly thinner, and you get a file and orange stick in the kit with them. With the OMG strips, you just get the strips (as far as I know - mine didn't come in a package). If you already have those tools, then there's not much sense paying an extra $3 for them, in my opinion. OMG also has free shipping on all orders, and you can use the code "4pack" to get 4 for $20.

Overall, I think these are a good option for people who are into nail polish strips. They are a more affordable version of the Sally Hansen strips, and there are more designs available. I'll probably stick with regular nail polish most of the time, because I am boring and old.