I was in heaven when I stepped into Tokyu Hands at West Gate Mall a couple weeks ago. It’s like Daiso X NBC X Muji. Daiso and NBC like in the range of products, Muji like in the range of…prices. I was even more excited when I saw this range of nail polish strips because the only other brands available in Singapore are by Sally Hansen and Sephora at around $15-$18 per set and I’ve been having bad experiences using the Sephora brand of nail polish strips lately.
A lot of people ask me if these are stickers—nail polish strips are more versatile and more natural. They’re printed strips of actual nail polish in a semi-cured form and need to be removed using nail polish. Great for people who want a nice manicure, but have limited time on their hands as it cures quickly upon application.
So far I would have to say that Incoco Coconut Nails has the widest range of colours/designs available locally. However, I wouldn’t use a lot of the designs myself. If you’re looking for sophistication, go for the Sally Hansen range. If you’re looking for fun, unique… Coconut Nails is the way to go. If you’re looking to have the nail polish strips fail on you half the time… go Sephora.
In each kit, you’ll get a pack of sealed nail polish strips, a file and an orange stick. Plus instructions which I forgot to look at (I never read instructions unless something goes wrong) seem like they’re in Japanese.
It’s a good idea to match the nail polish strip colours to your nail size/shape and place them in order before starting to make the process faster.
Here’s a simple step-by-step guide on how to use the Coconut Nails kit for those who haven’t used nail polish strips before, can’t read the Japanese instructions or like me, you prefer to look at pretty pictures.
- Peel off the clear front film.
- Carefully peel off the nail polish film from the white backing from the silver tab end.
- Align the base of the nail polish strip to your nail, holding the strip by the silver end.
- Once aligned, carefully press down the nail polish strip to your nail firmly. Tug the end of the nail polish strip around the tip of your nail.
- Use the included file to carefully file off the access.
- Presto! You’re done! Complete 9 more times on your other nails for an instant manicure.
Tips, these are just some things I do:
- Peel off the front clear film quickly. This makes sure the nail polish strip doesn’t cling to the film and ruin your nail polish strip.
- When pressing the strip firmly to your nail for adherence, it helps to stretch the nail polish strip a little. Start by making sure the base is adhered to the base of your nail and slowly stretch the strip as you press down on the sides and tip. This will ensure there are no wrinkles in your manicure.
- I usually don’t file off the access nail polish. I carefully stretch the polish over the tip of my nail, make sure I press it firmly to the edge of my nail and tear off the access. I find that this saves time and wraps the polish over the edge of my nail and is less likely to chip away—plus I’m too lazy to pick up the nail file!
You’ll notice that the colour of the nail polish will be slightly duller than it looks in the packaging as our nails aren’t white based. Maybe something to consider when you’re picking a design.
Overall the quality of the nail polish strips are comparable to Sally Hansen. Even the packaging and tools included are very similar. Sephora nail polish strips come flat packed, which may the the reason why the nail polish ends up sticking to the protective film a lot of the time.
And… the awkward “grab something” hand pose to show off my nail polish…
Incoco Coconut Nails—Nail Polish strips are available at Tokyu Hands at $14.00 per set. Sally Hansen Nail Polish Strips are usually $17.90 at Watsons and come with more spare nail polish strips. Their designs are also more sophisticated and ahem… adult. I find Tokyu Hands designs more targeted to the Japanese audience with cutesy prints, but great if you’re looking for fun casual designs.
I used to use Sephora Nail Polish Strips ($14.90–$17.90) when they first brought them to Singapore. However, maybe due to the weather or packing in recent times I’ve had to return or throw away the products because the nail polish was sticking to the protective film. But I do miss the Sephora leopard print nail polish strips! Sally Hansen has the best leopard print nail polish which I bought in Queensland, but for some reason they don’t sell it in Singapore. Why Sally Hansen why?—Singapore people like leopard print too!… Says the Brisbane girl. I’m having a little identity crisis, but I’ll leave that for another post.
Spot the difference. Leopard print nail polish strips: Sally Hansen Vs. Sephora.
Overall, nail polish strips can last about 2–3 weeks for me. My nails usually outgrow the nail polish before it starts chipping off. The nail polish does get small crack lines after about a week which could be avoided by applying a layer of top coat after the first few days.
Will summarise and update this post on Coconut Nails—nail polish strips after 2 weeks of sending my hands (and nails) to do various mundane everyday life chores. 🙂
Inspire me