I love getting a mani/pedi, but  hate when my freshly painted polish starts chipping  just a few days/hours (let’s be honest) later. Yes, I could try and re-paint the nail myself or go in for a polish change, but who has the time or that steady of a hand? I sure don’t, which is why I was so excited to see these new nail polish pens.

Sally Hansen and Nic’s Sticks by OPI each have their own version and of course I couldn’t wait to try them both.

I knew the first question my editor would ask is: “Are they safe?”

I was worried they wouldn’t be, but delighted to learn both brands are free of DBP, Toluene, and Formaldehyde… Go OPI and Sally Hansen! We’re making progress.

They’re safe, but do they work?

I put one of OPI’s Nic’s Sticks to the test first.  They’re advertised as ‘Paint & Go Nail Lacquer,’ and I found that very true. The pens are really small and easily fit into a purse. Perfect for gals on the run.

I tried “feeling girly.” It was very easy to use and for the record– painting your nails with a pen is way easier than a conventional nail polish brush. The polish went on surprisingly even and dried very quickly. The only downside– you really need to apply two or three coats for it to look good. But hey, I did my own nails and they didn’t look like a 3rd grader did them, so I’m not complaining.

The bad news– the polish was chipping the next day. Maybe applying a top coat would help? OPI sells this in pen form now too.

The only other downside–I don’t think you get many applications out of them. The pen felt half empty after a single application, so if you plan on making this a habit, you might want to stock up. Otherwise, I think they’re perfect for those few times a year where you want a polish change quickly. To see all the colors available, go to the Nicole by OPI website, where you can also ‘Discover Your True Colors‘ by taking a fun and interactive little quiz. First they’ll give you a blank canvas to paint…

Then you have to answer a couple of questions  like, what type of shoe you prefer, when your birthday is, etc.  Your answers are then interpreted and your true colors revealed!  Fun time-killer.

Sally Hansen’s Nail Art Pens are very different from OPI’s pens. Like their name suggests, they’re more for nail decor, not really painting your nails.

They have a fine-tip that’s perfect for drawing designs and french manicures. However, you still have to be pretty ambidextrous to give yourself a full frenchy. I was able to do my left hand, but not my right.

If only these had come out when I was in middle school.

Yours truly,

Lady Lex