Gloss Report: Gel Effect Nail Polish
1 October 2014
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Gloss Report: Gel Effect Nail Polish
Claiming to last twice as long as regular polishes, gel-look varnish is the latest and greatest nail craze to pop up all over our beauty radars. In theory, these polishes allow us to forgo the costly salon visit and achieve pristine pinkies that last up to ten days at a time - but are they truly as durable and steadfast as they claim? Click through to discover what the Glossy Posse discovered.
2 / 7
Dior Vernis Nail Polish
Price: £18.50
Feedback: “Testing the sweet and sugary shade of Tra La La, I found that this Dior polish layered evenly, dried quickly and gave a gorgeous gel-effect finish - it’s longevity however was about as robust as a chocolate teapot. With chips, cracks and buffs appearing soon into the following day I was forced to remove it due to my inability to ignore ruined nails. A lovely colour and initial finish, but with such poor durability I don’t think it’s a polish I’ll be looking to use frequently.
Was it worth the money?
Given how quickly it chipped you’d get through a bottle in no time and £18.50 is just a bit too pricey to fork out on a regular basis.
Would you recommend it to a friend?
Unlikely - I think you can get polish twice as effective for half the price.
Score: 6/10
3 / 7
Butter London Patent Gel Top and Tails Treatment
Price: £29.00
Feedback: "I love the packaging on all the entire Butter London line and this package certainly didn’t dissapoint. The base coat protected my nails from the age old staining problem, while the top coat gave a great patent gel effect shine, that left a profesional manicure-like finish. Combined, these two beauties left a beautiful gloss effect and gave my nail colour real longevity."
Was it worth the money?
They have a nice luxurious feel, however I do think they are a little pricey for what they are - but really nice for a special treat to give your nails that fresh manicure feel.
Would you recommend it to a friend?
Yes - as a birthday treat.
Score: 8/10
4 / 7
KIKO Poker Nail Lacquer
Price: £6.90
Feedback: “One of my biggest pet hates when it comes to nail polish is thick, gloopy varnish that takes ages to dry and requires numerous coats to give an even coverage. Thankfully for me, this colourful offering from KIKO fell far from this category. Easy to apply, the polish went on smoothly with a brush wide enough for an even application. It dried in under a minute and I found one coat of the Suggestive Red shade was enough to give me just the level of cover and colour I needed, while also remaining chip free for over a week.”
Was it worth the money?
For £6.90 I’d say it was definitely worth the money. It goes on thinly and you only really need one coat so the bottle should last for ages!
Would you recommend it to a friend?
A great colour and a lovely gel effect - yes I would recommend it to a friend!
Score: 9/10
5 / 7
Nails Inc Gel Effect Polish
Price: £14
Feedback: "The new Gel Effect collection by Nails Inc is everybody’s answer to a glossy and flawless at-home manicure. Its large brush swipes the polish on to the nail like a dream and the thick texture means you can get away with applying only one coat for a lovely finish. While it takes slightly long to dry, the shiny result is worth a little bit of patience."
Was it worth the money?
Yes – considering the bottle size and the fact that you only require one coat, it should last for awhile.
Would you recommend it to a friend?
Definitely, I love the glossy effect that it leaves. Also, the polish names add a touch of fun to your manicure!
Score: 9/10
6 / 7
Bourjois 1 Seconde Nail Enamel
Price: £5.99
Feedback: “These polishes seem to be mushrooming in my bathroom and eclipsing more high end varnishes with their shiny, intense hues and enormous yet agile brush handles. The reason they’re multiplying is because they’re not in the slightest bit spendy and also, pretty all-round brilliant. The formula is a great consistency (not at all drippy), the polish dries quickly and the finish is glossier than your average. The brush is small yet precise, allowing you to swipe it over the nail in a hurry, and the polish lasts a lot longer than ‘normal’ versions I use do, likely thanks to the added silicon that forms the ‘gel’ texture. The shade range (14) is on a ‘kid in a sweet shop’ level of choice and excitement too. The perfect red will be added to the collection next month- look out for it”
Was it worth the money?
Yes, hence why I now own about seven
Would you recommend it to a friend?
Yes, They can road test a few of mine if any doubts.
Score: 10/10
7 / 7
Eve Snow Top Coat
Price: £15
Feedback: I was keen to give this a go in the hope it could magically transform all of my existing nail polishes into a gel-effect, therefore cutting out the need to go for a gel mani. However, I was left disappointed. It's a great top coat - it adds shine, and the nails I tested it on chipped marginally less than the others. But in terms of a gel effect I was left wanting - it didn't have that high gloss or lasting power that I was after. Back to the salon for me!
Was it worth the money?
No, I think a standard cheaper top coat does the same job.
Would you recommend it to a friend?
No more than any other top coat.
Score: 5/10