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I LOVE gel polish! They just started getting it in my salon right before christmas, and I am hooked!
Yeah, I love it too. I took a break from them for a while though because they can damage your nails if you dont take them off properly. (which I wasn't, I was peeling them off)
I am back on them now and I love how long they last. If I get a regular manicure, they last like, one day. lol
Yay! I got one last year and haven't been back since because the salon around me charged me an arm and a leg *ahem $70 for a manicure* but I found 2 salons this week that do it MUCH cheaper and I can't wait to get it done again. Glad you like it!
I'm so interested in this, but the UV part makes me really nervous. I've read it can cause cancer (the same way a tanning bed could) if done too often. :( Not that I get manicures all that often, but once I've read something, I have trouble getting it out of my head.
My salon offers the gel maicure but it costs 35 dollars just for the polish on top of the 12 dollars for the manicure, so I have never tried it. From all these reviews maybe I will break down and just try it. Although for $47 I could get 3 regular manicures a month....
my boss used this and bragged about it for literally a month. She loves it!
@bellenga: I tried it for the first time about a month ago and loved the look. However, I have strong pretty natural nails and I felt the taking off process did damage them some. I would only use this process for a special event that I needed my nails to look great for an extended period of time. Other than that a regular manicue would suffice for me.
I had them done for the wedding. They lasted just under two weeks for me. I didn't like that you had to go back to the salon to take it off, so I just soaked them in warm acetone at home and used a wooden cuticle stick to push it off. It looked like regular polish to me, which I really liked. The only thing I didn't like is that there weren't very many colors available because they were backordered (or so the manicurist said) so I ended up getting a Barbie pink when I wanted something more muted.
Does it work the same way on the toes? I am going in for the first mani/pedi of the spring season and have considered asking for the gel polish.
@tksjewelry: I have seen people at my nail salon do it on their toes too. I have never done it, since the polish on my toes stays much longer than my nails
@Gemstone, you can put your fingertips under the teeny uv light. It's really small. I know alot about radiation (work) and can say that it's not really a risk at all. Only a teeny amount of a small uv light. Kinda like the light you'd put a little plant under, NOT like a tanning bed light at all. Much smaller and far less exposure. I'd worry more seriously, if i flew in an airplane, with regards to exposure.
Yep, you can take it off yourself. My salon uses acetone with a little grapeseed oil mixed in it. Pushes right off. I haven't done toes.
There's about 50 shades at my salon. They told me yesterday that due to the popularity, there will be more colors coming out soon to coordinate with more of the OPI line! Yay!
I like it b/c normally my nails are rather flimsy and chip easily. They had to actually file down my nails this last time! Can't believe it! After they removed the polish, we looked at my nails and they are actually getting harder.
I have been a regular gel user since last summer but I'm taking a break at the moment because I have been getting frustrated with my salon (the only local one that offers it) The reason I fell in love with the gel is because they didn't use the drill file on my nails.... well as the gel manicures have increased in popluarity, the technicians have become more and more impatient with the time consuming process of removal... so basically, the last 3 times they have soaked my nails for less than 5 minutes and then came over with the drill and started "filing" off the polish... even though I have explicitly said NO FILE! They just aren't listening to me :( So right now, my nails are bare- and I kid you not, are just as weak and damaged as after I took off acrylics. I LOVE the look of gel, I can make it last 3+ weeks...which is so awesome! Some tips I've learned to make it last...
1) Only use OPI Axiom brand (the other brands are crap!)
2) Don't do more than 2 coats of the color (base coat, 2 color coats, top coat) 3 or more coats makes it too brittle which makes it chip off very fast
3) Sit under the UV light for 2 full sessions (I think a total of 10 minutes) after the final coat is applied. This really sets the color and makes the shine last.
Yep agree. The OPI Axiom brand is what my salon has too. Only will use that.
I am a nail tech and have been using the Bio sculpture gel products for about 5 years now.. i believe it was the first to come out with this type of gel that you can soak off with little filing and damage to the natural nail..also no odor like the acrylics!! ive never used the OPI gel but I love the Bio sculpture and have never had any complaints from clients..everyone loves it..
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Beekeeper
For those who are wondering, my nail salon offers gel nail polish. Several steps and a few minutes under a uv dryer, but it's totally worth it!
Doesn't chip or fade, looks great always! I just had my second manicure with the gel polish and the first mani lasted over 2 weeks!
Fwiw, I always have had fragile nails and somewhat brittle yet thin. I quit having the tips and fill/re-fill situation a while back and went to working on my own nails, trying to revive them and make them stronger, plus I wanted more color options!
It does seem to make my own nails definitely more chip and break resistant too, using the gel polish.
Any gel polish fans out there? I can "vow" to the lasting ability! I'm rocking a fuscia/reddish color right now and love it!