If you’ve been on the lookout for a less expensive and less time consuming option to the popular gel manicure from the salon, I may have a decent alternative for you. Essie Gel Couture is a nail polish and top coat system that lasts much longer than any regular nail polish I have ever used and is my go to manicure for summer instead of running to the nail salon every two weeks.
When it comes to beauty products, I am not the most knowledgeable so today’s post is a bit of an experiment. About 6 months ago I learned about Essie Gel Couture Nail Polish through a fashion blog I read now and then. I was intrigued by the product because I had only recently tried a gel manicure at a local nail salon.
This post contains some affiliate links but I have not been paid for writing this post and I purchased all products shown in this post on my own, with my own money. All thoughts are completely my own.
I loved the salon manicure and was obsessed for days at how shiny and smooth my nails were. I also loved how well the manicure held up (over two weeks)! I didn’t love the idea of spending over $60 every couple of weeks though.
After reading about Essie’s gel nail polish I decided it might be worth a try as a cheaper alternative. I’ve had really good results so far and recently added a few bright, summer colors to my supply so I thought I’d share that with you today.
At $11.50 per color plus the top coat, Essie Gel Nail polish is still more than I normally spend. I also purchased their nail polish remover which I cannot say enough good things about.
I start by cleaning my nails, filing, trimming, etc. Once my hands are clean and dry, I begin with two light coats of the polish in my choice of color. I used 274 Living Legend which is a pretty, bold, red.
After my two thin coats of color are dry, I’m ready to add the top coat. I have learned that it’s important to put this coat on cleanly. Any residual polish on your skin will cause the polish to begin peeling off in a day or two. Once dry, you are good to go! No UV light needed! It took me just 10-15 minutes total.
Depending on what I’m doing, I typically get between a week and two weeks out of my manicure before it gets to the point where it looks pretty bad. It’s a great alternative to regular nail polish that chips within days or heading to the salon and paying $60-$70 every two weeks.
What about you? Do you like to splurge and hit the nail salon for a relaxing hour or so of pampering or do you prefer a more DIY approach that you can do at home?
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