Essie Hard to Resist Strengthener

I received the violet product to try and have been using it with great results!

I've used an essie strengthener before, so that aspect of the formula is nothing new - it does strengthen the nails and I feel confident it would strengthen anyone's weak nails!

The violet tone on the otherhand is a revelation! I'm a bit gothy in my polish choices - deep blood reds, dark almost black shades, so my nails are a bit stained and tend to look a little yellow. This products really does neautralise that yellow staining, making the bare nail look healthy and clean.

Not much else to say here really - brilliant product!!

I've always like Essie as a brand and this product is another great addition to the range.

I chose the pink version to try - I don't wear nail polish often so don't have issues with staining. My natural nails lack a bit of oomph to make them look nice, and they are prone to peeling.

I've been using this as instructed for about 2 weeks and I think its really good. My nails aren't peeling and feel very, very strong.

The natural glow part is a winner, the pink tint is subtle and barely there really, but it does make the nail look more healthy and less corpse hand like!

All up - great product, can't really fault it!

So far, it hasn't lived up to my hopes and expectations. My nails have weakened significantly with age (I guess) so I was excited to try it. With the first application (as per directions) scraping off after a day. Granted, I was putting it to the test with handwashing dishes; but I would expect it to last longer than that. Sadly, it doesn't seem to have made any difference to my fingernails or made them stronger at all. Based on my experience, I wouldn't recommend.

I have weak and brittle nails, so I was very excited to try this. My nails were weak from constantly washing my hands all day . I tried this polish and I noticed how stronger my nails felt and brighter. It's clear coat with a mild pink tone so it makes it easier for me to apply without making a mess and I can apply another color over it.

I received the Essie Hard to Resist Nail Strengthener in shade 00 glow & shine (sheer pink). My nails are very short and weak from being stress-chewed often, but not currently discoloured.

This strengthener comes in the standard essie bottle, so if you have a collection it will fit in! It looks like a deep translucent pink in the bottle, and upon opening has quite a strong nail polish smell.

The formula is thin, which I like. The brush is fairly small but shaped nicely and makes it easy to apply a thin coat. Being such a thin coat, I found it is dry to touch within a few minutes, so you don't waste too much time adding this layer before your regular polish. On its own it has a smooth and soft finish, leaving just a little pink tint.

For me, I have only a couple of cons for this product. The first is that I found it acted a little like a peel-off base coat. This may be due to the flexibility of my weak nails, and as they bent under the polish during everyday life, I found it peeling off within a day or two, so I have reapplied it a few times over the last couple of weeks. The second comes more down to personal preference - in the past my favourite strengthening treatment was one that just soaked in to the nails, rather than being an extra polish type layer, and I have been looking for one to replace that for a long time. However, this essie one is quite thin and therefore a pretty good option in my book!

I agree with the claims that my nails do instantly feel protected, and after wearing it for a couple of weeks they are definitely feeling stronger. I will be using the rest of this bottle and would seriously consider getting more once it's gone.

I am actually in love with this product. Not only did it strengthen my nails but it left them really shiney as well. It make me look at my nails continuously. I decided I didn't need to use it daily just every few days worked just the same

I tried the pink bottle, Glow and Shine. All the usual packaging info, doesn’t smell very strongly, and very easy to apply with a wide brush. First off, I’ll point out how fast the product dries, and that it gives off a lovely pink glow. My nails looked healthy and natural, even if they were flaking off something nasty before application. “Nails are less brittle after 3 days!” I have noticed a few things relating to this claim. One would be that my nails did feel less soft after a few days. Two is that, while they were noticeably harder, the polish did still come off with the usual wear and tear (washing dishes, cleaning rooms, etc), and my nails would still flake. Perhaps with more extended use my nails will improve dramatically over time. For the purposes of this review I do think the product helped my nails to become stronger within the short trial time. I certainly haven’t had any chips or tears in my nails since I began trialling! I will continue to use in any case as it’s just a lovely natural glow for the times I don’t want to wear any colours.

I was lucky enough to be able to try this nail strengthener and i am blown away!

After having acrylic nails for years, my natural nails had become brittle and I could never wear them bare as they were prone to breakage. After using this nail strengthener for a week, I have been able to have bare nails (bar the clear polish) for the first time in years! they have grown so quickly too.

I am well impressed with this product and will be recommending it to everyone