Press Sample
Nail wraps and nail stickers have been really popular lately due to the general ease of application and minimal fuss to get a beautiful nail design. I received a sample of the NCLA Nail Wraps from the House of Hollywood collection and the sample had 12 wraps with a nail file.
These nail wraps aren't made of polish so you don't have to worry about them drying out in the packaging over time.
Where to Purchase: NCLA
Price: $16.00-$18.00 for 26 nail stickers, enough for 2 applications according to the company.
Do they test on animals?: The company does not.
Packaging: The Nail Wraps come on a sheet incased in plastic. You peel off the nail stickers via the tabbed end. It was a bit fiddly to get the sticker off at first so I had to bend the paper to lift the tabbed edge so I could peel it off without ripping.
Application:
Prior to applying the nail wraps, you're supposed to apply a coat of clear nail polish, let it dry, then apply to the nail. I think your wear time will depend on the clear nail polish you use; I chose to apply a layer of Nailtek II Intensive Therapy which dries a little sticky. I think the stickiness really helped the nail wrap adhere.
Overall, the hardest part was trying to figure out the right size. I went through three wraps before figuring out the correct size for my finger. The problem is that it's difficult to see the edge of the nail wrap so you're guessing as you peel it off. I did figure out that they do have wraps for even my most slender pinkie finger but I didn't want to go through the three wraps to figure it out.
Removing the excess was easy; I made sure to pull the extra over my free edge and used the included nail file to file off the rest. It only took a few files for the excess to come off. However I did notice that some of my free edge was not fully covered by the wrap.
Wear Time
Here how my nails looked on Day 1, prior to putting a topcoat on the nail wrap. After I put the top coat on, I noticed some wrinkling at the top part of the nail (which you'll see in the after picture).
Here's how my nails looked after two weeks. There's some obvious nail growth and wear at the free edge. Despite the wrinkling towards the cuticle, the sticker didn't keep peeling or lifting even through copious applications of cuticle oil.
Removal:
One of the big cons to the product is that since it's not made out of nail polish, you have to peel it off your nail to remove it which can damage the nail underneath. However, you can ease product removal by "melting down" the wrap with acetone. Once I rubbed a little acetone on the wrap, it softened and made it easy for me to remove with little to no damage to my nail.
Conclusion:
Although more expensive than most nail stickers/wraps on the market, $16 for two applications means each manicure costs about $8 and I was personally able to wear it for two weeks. However your mileage may vary of course and I've read of other people experiencing only a few days wear.
NCLA is unique because of the collaborations they do with different fashion houses and brands so you can get designs themed around them. I also got two compliments over the two weeks that I wore the nail wraps and I hardly ever get anyone to notice my nails. I think if there's a design you like that you can't replicate through typical nail art methods, the NCLA nail wraps are worth considering!
Disclaimer: I received a sample of the NCLA Nail Wraps through attending an event. All opinions are my own. I was not paid or compensated to write this post.
