When looking at my bare nails, I see endless possibilities.
Should I go with a simple colour, or go crazy with different patterns for each nail? Glitter, perhaps? Or maybe some Skittle nails with stickers? Maybe some studs, spikes or rhinestones?

Thanks to HiShop, this time around I didn't have to crack my head thinking about what pattern I wanted, or spend half an hour choosing the right colour combination. (Yes, really.)

Bloop Cosmetics nail strips and nail polish

Bloop Cosmetics Nail Polish

The first thing I tried out was the nail polish. The one I received was a creme blue shade without any shimmer. It doesn't have a colour name, only a code under the bottle. Each bottle contains 13.5ml of polish.


The brush is rounded (not flat like some other nail polish brands) but the bristles are firm and work well in depositing and spreading the nail polish with a few quick strokes.

The nail polish is opaque in 1 thick coat, although I prefer applying 2 medium coats for full opacity and a smooth finish. Below are the comparison photos.

1 coat

2 coats

It dries pretty fast (about 2 minutes) and has a very glossy finish. The vibrant blue shade also makes my fingers look fairer, lol!

Glossy finish

Bloop Cosmetics 'Nail It! With Bloop' Toe Nail Strips

The item that really caught my eye was this set of toe nail strips. I've heard of, seen and used nail strips for fingers, but this is my first time trying toe nail ones. 

Nail It! with Bloop toe nail stickers

I really like the design I got, which has a blue and yellow theme with gold diamante at the edges. Each sheet has 22 strips, which means you can use them 2 times. How awesome is that?! (≧∇≦) A mini nail file is also included, which you use to file off the excess strip.

Plenty of strips to suit all sizes

First of all, you'll have to choose the best strip size for each nail. Make sure the rounded side is facing towards your cuticles (inward).

Measure

I guess I'll just let the instructions speak for themselves, lol.

Step-by-step instructions

Here, I've done the big toe and proceeding to apply the strips on the other toes.

I admit, the concept is brilliant and makes it easy to have pretty nails without spending a fortune on salon manicures, but there are several factors that discourage me from using nail strips often.

1. Nail strips usually don't fit my nails. This is a personal problem because I have narrow and curved nails, but it plays a big part in why I prefer to paint and do my own (albeit simple) nail art.
2. Nail strips are rarely as thin as they claim to be, and results in uneven/wrinkled application. These Bloop ones claim to be 'super thin' but to me they are pretty thick and not very strechable.
3. Despite being an innovation that is supposed to be 'fast and easy' to use and apply, I find that painting my nails and topping with a fast dry top coat takes less time than than measuring, applying, filing, smoothing and sealing with top coat. (Or maybe that's just me?) Granted, nail strips have all sorts of amazing designs that would take AGES to draw, so in view of that, it does save a lot of time.
4. Try sitting on the floor and fiddling with your toes for 30mins. It freaking hurts.
5. Using a nail file to remove excess nail strips often results in very visible tip wear and uneven edges (refer pic below).

Finished result

I painted my last two toes with regular polish because they were way too small for the stickers, and I didn't want to continue sitting on the floor fiddling with my toes for any longer than necessary. (¬_¬) The pattern is really nice, but you can see the application is not that smooth and there are some uneven edges.

It's best to apply a layer of top coat to make the pedicure/manicure last longer, and also to give it a nice shine. I was a little disappointed by these toe nail strips, but maybe I'll have better luck with the finger nail strips? ;)

You can purchase Bloop nail polish and nail strips from HiShop.

*The items mentioned above was sent to me by HiShop Malaysia for review without financial compensation. All opinions expressed are completely honest and strictly my own.