The gel nail trend has long been taking over the salons, promising glossy and long lasting, chip resistant nails. The allure of some well deserved pampering is hard to resist, yet we don’t always have time to get to the manicurist. So, here comes the next best thing, the gel nail polish trend that you can apply yourself. Now the gel look comes to the comfort of your very own home, so get that cuticle gel on and let’s see if any of these new varnishes can live up to expectations.
There are two different types of gel polish available to buy, the high maintenance version, available from the likes of O.P.I and Red Carpet Nails requires an LED light to set the polish. The other gel polishes are more low maintenance, offering a quick slick of gel that still promises that high shine without any fancy extras.
Nails inc – Gel Effect Polish – £14
This varnish is available in just 7 shades, Three coats were required for full coverage, and comes with an easy application brush that gets right up to the cuticle. There’s no need for a top coat and lasts 5-6 days with general wear and tare. 8/10
Barry M – Gelly High Shine Nail Paint – £3.99
Available in a wide range of colours, including bright jewel tones and pastels. Two coats were required for full coverage,and the application brush made it difficult to get to the edges. The polish lasted 4-5 days before chipping. 6/10
Red Carpet Manicure – LED Gel Polish – £13
This is one of the pricier options as it needs the Red Carpet Manicure Gel Polish Pro Starter Kit which includes the UV light to set the gel polish. There are a wide variety of colours available including metallics and neutral shades. Two base coats were needed, one coat of colour and a top coat which was very time consuming. The coats were easy to apply and once the top coat was on it lasted 7 days + 9/10
Boujois – 1 Seconde Nail Enamel – £5.99
This polish comes with a fantastic fan out brush that makes applying the polish take just seconds, it was therefore very easy to apply and only 1 coat was needed. The polish lasted 4-5 days of general wear and tare and was quick to dry. There are only a f 7/10
O.P.I – gelcolour – £35
Very complex application and requires the additional of the UV light to set the polish correctly . The final finish is very hard wearing and long lasting, giving you that salon gel look for at least 7 days. 7/10
On this occasion the Red Carpet manicure wins through, and I’m certain the initial outlay is worth the long lasting salon look, especially with so many colours and finishes to choose from. However if its a quick fix you’re after, you can’t go wrong with the Nails inc, Gel Effect polish, which comes in 7 gorgeous colours.
