Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle

Bottle Size:100ml bottle
Cost: £8.99 (£7.89 on sale at super drug)
Availability: Boots, Superdrug, Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s etc…

I am at a loss to explain why it has taken me so long to review Sally Hansen’s Nailgrowth Miracle. I have been using it for roughly 4 months now and it is time I shared it’s greatness with the world. With this in mind, I ask you to read this review as if I am actually standing on a roof top and shouting it to you.

***Why I first used it***
I am not a nail biter – although those nasty cuticles are often more tempting than I can handle. In fact, I never got the chance to bite my nails as they were always paper thin and instead of chipping or cracking, the weak, yellowy layers would simply peel away prohibiting any form of growth.

It was a very rare occasion that my nails surfaced from their nail bed to peek out over the finger tips and I had more or less resigned myself to never having long, sexy nails without the aid of bothersome fake nail kits which have always ruined my nails even more. I say I had almost given up hope but one day, the last shred of optimism left in me brought me to the nail care section of Boots where I was lured by the sparkling gold Sally Hansen bottle and the words Nailgrowth Miracle. Was this just another deceitful marketing ploy or had I actually found the holy grail of nail care?

When I got home, I decided to do things right. I pulled out a ridiculous Christmas present I had been given several months earlier – a hand and nail manicure set with a number of scrubs, potions and lotions promising to give you hands to rival a babies bum. I scrubbed, peeled, sanded, scraped, prodded and patted my hands and examined them closely, They radiated with raw redness but there was no mistaking the limp and lifeless nails as my own.

I then applied the nailgrowth miracle carefully twice to each nail and went to bed feeling less than hopeful.

***How to use***
If there are women out there who can’t figure out their way around a bottle of nail polish by the time they are in their teens, shame on you! Assuming there are a select few of you out there:

1.Open bottle
2.remove excess polish from brush
3.starting in the middle of the nail, brush the polish along the length of the nail, working towards the edges in a slow, fluid motion
4.Allow nails to dry
5.Repeat process for added strength

It is recommended you repeat this process every two-three days, removing old polish each time before adding new.

***The science of the Miracle ***
I don’t pretend to understand the science bits but I can testify to the results.

Nailgrowth Miracle contains a unique protein complex which claims to promote nail growth. Soy protein is used to give the nails added moisture which in turn prompts strengthening allowing nails to grow more freely. Keratin acts as protection against splitting, tearing or in my case, nasty peeling and the Collagen and vitamins found in this concoction stimulate nail growth and healthier nails.

***A modern day miracle or a modern day flop?***
Alas, I didn’t wake up the morning after applying the polish with inch-long talons. However, after 3 days, I could see where the nail had grown from the cuticle markings. Over the next few days I followed the instructions to the letter and within a week my nails were substantially longer. I would even go as far as to say they were the full 30% longer that good ol’ Sally had promised. I became somewhat obsessed with their growth over the following weeks and after 3 weeks my nails were not only officially long but they were also noticeably stronger.

Over the last 3 months people have joked about my “fake nails” and girls in the office have asked me how I keep them in such good condition. I have had to struggle with mundane daily tasks like typing and opening tins and packets. I drive my colleagues up the wall with that annoying five-finger tapping I always longed to make and spend hours posing with my hand coyly placed against my cheek displaying them in all their grandeur and two weeks ago, for the first time in the history of…ever, I had to trim my nails because they were too long!

And as if that wasn’t proof enough Sally Hansen’s Nailgrowth Miracle has been recognized with the following awards:

•SHE Beauty awards, 2007
•Allure’s Editor’s choice award, 2006
•Instyle - best beauty buys, 2005
•Annual Beauty Magazine Awards – best nail treatment, 2005
•Glamour Magazine - Glammy Award, 2004

***Packaging***
This sparkly gold bottle with the familiar Sally Hansen signature, is instantly recognizable even without the huge hint that is the Name “Nailgrowth Miracle” blazened across the front in black writing. It comes in a white box with orange trimming and an open window at the front from which the bottle can be clearly seen. All application details, ingredients and warnings are listed on the back along with what the products claims to do.

***Negative side-effects***
Partners and children beware: you may find your partner/parent no longer has time to spend with you as every waking moment will be consumed by admiring her nails, showing off her nails, shopping for new nail polish, trying on rings that accentuate the nails and painting her nails. If there is any time still left for you, please accept that certain pastimes will be outlawed due to possible risk to the nail.