I haven’t experienced a ‘bad nail day’ but weeks and months of horrific nails. Constantly splitting, and breaking, even the smallest impact was fatal. I prayed Saint Sally Hansen. I found her Advanced Hard as Nails Strengthener and hoped for the better…
Sally Hansen Advanced Hard as Nails is a strengthening nail treatment available in two versions but does it work?
Sally Hansen Advanced Hard as Nails Strengthener: product & packaging
Available in clear and natural tint, the one you see in this post, Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails nail strengthener treatment comes in a 13.3 ml bottle with a regular brush applicator which is compact and quite functional.
Formula & shade
The formula of this Sally nail care product contains nylon, retinol, Omega 3 and soy extract to protect and strengthen your nails (nylon and retinol), and improve and fill (Omega 3 and soya) your nail ridges for stronger and smoother nails. It’s a rather liquid, easy-to-apply treatment which dries like a regular nail polish.
Its greatest point is its shade: this Sally Hansen Advanced Hard as Nails version comes in a very delicate skin-pink nuance, which is very evident in the bottle but looks natural and very shiny once applied. It gives your nails a healthy look.
How to use Sally Hansen Advance Nail Strengthener
Said that it’s like a nail lacquer, then you should know how to use this treatment! The recommended amount is 2 or 3 coats on clean nails; each coat should be completely dry before the next one.
PROS:
- Iìit has a reasonable price tag (from a regular price of $2.99 in the US up to £7 at Superdrug, UK);
- a reasonably fast drying time;
- a shiny finish;
- it creates a smooth and natural look.
CONS:
- it has no long-lasting effect;
- it gives constant breakage;
- it isn’t suitable as a base coat.
My final ‘pros&cons’ section speaks for itself. I was quite disappointed and tried different dosages for this nail treatment, but nothing good happened. I picked this strengthening treatment for three reasons: the brand, that lovely pink tint and its price, which was further reduced at that time (less than £4). What happened exactly?
I used 1 coat, then 2 and 3 coats, I tried for weeks, but I experienced no visible or lasting improvements as my nails kept breaking with incredible ease and I needed a quick fix or a solution. I wasn’t able to let them grow as I was used to. In particular, my left nails were damaged continuously, and I stopped to wear nail polishes at all. From these pictures, it’s clear how my nails look neat but are extremely damaged on my left hand.
I tried to use the Advanced Hard as Nails as a strengthening base for my nail colour, but nothing changed. The situation was paradoxically awkward: if my nails looked on point and shiny with the fresh product on, they started to feel softer and softer, leading to the inevitable breakage, the next day. I cannot explain this. This Sally Hansen treatment is still a mystery to me. I gave it to my mom hoping she could shed some light on that… (no news after years).
Valentina Chirico aka Valens
