Flash Nails with Reflective Glitter: Great or Gimmick?

I recently got to try out the new Flash Nails by Salon Perfect, both the nail polish and the fake nails. The nail polish and nails feature reflective glitter that activates when a flash is used, and the color looks brighter in the photos. All the colors look amazing in the bottle, but what about on your nails?

Reflective Glitter Nail Polish Review

The trendy new Flash nail polish with reflective glitter runs about $6 and is available at Wal-Mart. It paints on kind of weird- it’s hard to explain. Sort of like it’s drying really fast as you put it on. Once it’s dry, it has a dull appearance. The pink shade I tried looked like a muddy rose pink after it dried.

The fun is when you take a photo using flash, the polish reflects the light and looks brighter and more intense. The effect is the same on their press-on nails as well.

Reflective Glitter Only Looks Good with Flash

The thing is, I rarely use flash in my photos! It may make these nails look great, but flash does not usually make people look good. The only thing I can think these nail polishes would be good for is if you are walking the red carpet and getting lots of flash photos.

Unfortunately, we don’t have many red-carpet events here in Jacksonville so I can’t think of a good reason to wear this polish. I’d rather have it look like it does in the “after” photo when I put it on.

When the reflective nails are not in a flash situation, they look dull.

Fake Nails vs. Reflective Nail Polish

The fake nails actually looked better than the nail polish did. I’ve tried several of the other colors which are all absolutely gorgeous and sparkly in the bottle, but a dull blah color when you paint it on. Unless of course, you use a flash!

I also tried it on my toes and the polish chipped off after a few days, which is surprising because usually polish on my toes lasts for weeks and I have to remove it. I’m not really a fan of this flashy nail trend.

The verdict on this one: reflective glitters nails are more gimmick than greatness.

Removing Flash Glitter Polish

Removing glitter nail polish can be quite a chore, but there are a few tips to make the process easier:

1. Use 100% Acetone: While acetone-free nail polish remover is best for healthy nails, acetone-based nail polish remover is the most effective for removing stubborn glitter polish. Soak a cotton ball in acetone and place it on your nail. Then wrap your fingertip in aluminum foil to hold the cotton ball in place. Leave it on for a few minutes to allow the acetone to break down the polish.
2. Buff the nail: Buffing the surface of the nail before applying the acetone remover can help it penetrate a little easier.
3. Glitter Peel-Off Base Coat: Consider applying a peel-off base coat before using glitter nail polish. This can make the removal process much simpler – you can literally peel off the polish once it’s time to change your manicure.
4. Use a Corrector Pen: After removing most of the glitter polish, a nail polish corrector pen can help clean up any remaining specks. It’s especially useful for precision around the cuticles.
5. Moisturize: After removing the polish, don’t forget to moisturize your nails and cuticles, as acetone can be drying.