Best Gel Nail Polish – Manicure At Home For Busy Moms
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Do you love to have your nails done? If you’re reading this post, chances are that you do! First, professional gel nail polish manicures are EXPENSIVE! Second, they take a while … who has the time or money to get professional gel manicures every few weeks?! I sure don’t.
I do too! But here’s my problem… I’m a mom. I also work full time… I don’t have time to do my nails! (I barely have time to remove my nail polish when it gets old!)
I remember being so excited about gel manicures because the salon said that it would last 2+ weeks! I figured that I could stand to get my nails done every other week… or maybe every 3 weeks… right?
Thanks to playing with my little boys and regular stuff around the house, a regular home manicure will barely last me a week before I get chips everywhere. (Sometimes, my nails don’t even dry before getting messed up!).
About a year ago, I started trying the gel-like polishes on the market. The Sally Hanson one worked okay but still only got me through a week … maybe 10 days. I also tried the Essie Gel Setter which they say you can use with any Essie polish. That one also lasted about 10 days max.
Then I tried the Essie Gel Couture Polish with the Essie Gel Setter (since I already had it) and I’m so glad that I did! It’s an amazing combination!
- The nail polish lasted perfectly! The tips of the nails remained perfect! The only thing that happened is… my nails grew! So of course you see un-polished nail between the cuticle and the polish, but that’s normal even with a professional gel manicure!
- I also found that the polish remained nice and shiny like a professional gel manicure!
- I found that because the nail polish remained in tact, my nails didn’t break or bend as much. They felt much more “protected” than they would have been normally. I can rarely grow my nails this long.
- I also love the shape of the brush in the Essie Gel Couture bottles! They are a bit wider and make it super easy to apply a thin coat of polish to the nails.
- The bottle shape in the Gel Couture line is so convenient! I find that it makes it much easier to grip – especially when removing the top.
The Cons:
It’s a little thick, but I found that putting it in the fridge for just a few minutes before using it helps a ton!
I haven’t yet tried the Essie Gel Couture Top Coat with the Essie Gel Couture Polish (I used their previous Gel top coat). I plan to try using it soon to see if it works better or worse and will update this post when I do!
OVERALL, I’m thrilled with the results I got using the Essie Gel Couture for the color coat, and the Essie Gel Setter for the top coat! I will definitely continue using this line for a long time! Thanks to this polish, I’m able to have beautiful looking nails that help me feel more put together and “polished!” without having to spend a ton of money or time each week! One or two at-home manicures will do the trick!
If you have any questions, please post a comment below and I’ll try to reply as soon as I can!
These polishes seem to sell out in stores often, so feel free to use any of the above links if you’d like to try it out and order it from amazon! Most have free shipping with Amazon Prime!
Great post! I agree that manicures are super expensive and difficult to add into your self-care routine because of the cost. I’ve always recommended DIY manis because it’s taking time out for yourself AND you’re saving money. Kudos to you for keeping your nails fly on a dime!
Thanks Cameo !
I’m not a Mom but I might be the only woman in the world who HATES the nail salon. lol. I’ve always done my own nails… which reminds me… I need to do them ASAP! lol.
Ha! You crack me up! I’m right there with you… Not a fan but probably because the cost makes me cringe !
Thanks for the tip! I’m one of those who prioritize other things than my nails 🙂
Me too! I love how they look and last but don’t actually “enjoy” sitting there for so long and spending all that money!
I keep seeing these in drugstores and am curious if they can produce the gel effect that I love so much from getting them professionally done (but holy cow, the money and time!!). I take it these don’t require a UV lamp, right? Thanks for the great review.
Hi Dylan – Thanks so much for your comment! This doesn’t require the UV lamp which I love! (I’ll need to update the post to include that key detail! oops!)
What “effect” are you speaking of? When I’ve had the gel manicures done professionally, the two things that stood out the most to me were how long they last (probably the most obvious!) but also the intense SHINE! The Essie Gel Couture nail polishes seem to produce the same shine that seems to last about a week or more depending on what I put them through. I really love it! I’m actually planning to post an update in the newsletter showing how they held up to a few days at the beach 🙂
Before I even finished reading this I was looking for the buy link! LOL! I have zero time to sit at nail salons. I also very hands-on with things so nail polish doesn’t last long. DEFINATLY trying this. Thank you!
Ha! That’s great Nancy! I hope you love the polished too!
Hello Momma!
Thanks for sharing us your Essie review. I also love the colors you choose, and thanks also for your very helpful tips. I also do my own nails (coz I’m being frugal).
For Urban Women
Thanks Blair ! Yay for frugal moms!!!
Great post! I use my hands often throughout the day, so most times I get my nails done, it’s usually a gel mani. I’ll definitely have to look into this Essie polish though. It will surely save me quite a bit of money! Thanks for sharing?