Prepare yourself for another post in our Feeling Pretty series...
There I was, minding my own business, wandering the grocery store (pretending not to impulse buy cookies) when BAM, I spotted the limited edition Sally Hansen 'Stranger Things' collection.
Now, full disclosure: I used to be a 'Stranger Things' fan, but these days...meh. (Please don't throw cookies at me, die hard fans.) What did stop me dead in my tacks? The crackle nail polish!
It's been, what, a decade since crackle polish was last cool? So yes, I was excited. Like, embarrassingly excited.
Here's the thing. These polishes were not what I expected. I thought we were getting spooky Halloween vibes, fun colors that literally crackle. Instead, I got stained white nails (cute...), black crackle on top (umm, wasn't the point color crackle?), vertical cracks, so half my nails looked more "zebra chic" than traditional crackle.
Don't get me wrong, they dry fast (not insta dry, but like...damp enough that you don't ruin your nails opening a bag of chips). The bottles themselves? Adorable. The 'Stranger Things' logo on the lid? Totally cool. The polish inside...eh.
Rift:
On the nail this one is...pink. Yup, it stained my white polish pink and then layered a black crackle on top. Kinda of like a strawberry zebra moment, if that's a thing. It can be purchased on Amazon, Ulta, Walgreens, and Smith’s Marketplace.
Between Worlds:
This one turned my base polish a soft orange with the black crackle over it. Honestly, it looks less "mysterious parallel universe" and more "pumpkin tiger." It can purchased on Amazon, Walgreens, and Smith’s Marketplace.
Missing:
This polish left behind a green stain on my base polish with black crackle over the top. It's giving zombie slime chic, which could be a Halloween aesthetic, I guess. It can be purchased on Amazon, Walgreens, and Smith’s Marketplace.
Nether:
This one turned my base a light purple and gave me the same black crackle on top. Think "goth lavender," but make it vertical stripes. It can be purchased on Amazon, Walgreens, and Smith’s Marketplace.
In theory, these should've been amazing. In reality? Meh. The front of the bottles show colorful crackle, which, sorry Sally Hansen, feels a lot like false advertising. Plus, the staining is annoying, and the cracks just weren't "crackly" enough.
Final verdict: fun nostalgia, but not worth the hype or the money.
Sorry Sally Hansen, but I'm not recommending these to anyone unless you really, really love zebra nails.
What do you think, are you team crackle or team "never again"? Comment below!
